1095 Days of NaLu
by ChocoChipKitty
Summary: 1095 days... that means three years straight, with a Natsu x Lucy oneshot for every day! All kinds of one-shots: AU, friendship, romantic, death, drabble, songfic, crack... even requests! So basically, it's everything EXCEPT lemons. Let's get started! (Mostly)Daily updates forever and ever till it's done! T for some blood and some kissing and stuff. Yeah, I am NOT GIVING THIS UP.
1. Never Change

**1095 days of NaLu. A one-shot for every day, for three years straight, no breaks or days off or anything. I can do THAT, right?**

 **Right. Sure. Sure.**

 **...well, stick with me and we'll see. :3**

 **Day One**

 **Never Change**

It was one in the morning, and Lucy was sleepy.

And so she was NOT very happy to come home and find a certain pink-haired dragonslayer crashed on her bed.

Which was why she kicked him.

And she kicked his cat.

And she kicked him again.

And finally she kicked her bed.

By now, her toes were bruised and she was still sleepy, and Natsu and Happy were still very much asleep, so Lucy had accomplished nothing. Needless to say, that did NOT improve her mood.

"Natsu," she groaned. _"Not_ in the mood for this..."

Natsu did not respond.

Lucy groaned again. Since she knew she was not going to get him off her bed, she gave up and grabbed a spare blanket from her closet, dropping it on the ground, and proceeding to drop herself on it.

She was asleep in practically two seconds. No... one second sounded more accurate. Or maybe a half a second. Yeah, let's go with that.

... ... ...

Next morning, Lucy was woken up _very rudely_.

I'm not even going to tell you who woke her up, because it's already blatantly obvious.

"Luce! Hey, Luce! Get up, we're going to the guild!"

Lucy grunted and rolled over onto her stomach, burning her face in her pillow.

Wait... her pillow? She hadn't had a pillow when she went to bed last night. Confused, Lucy opened her eyes and glanced around her. "Natsu?" she murmured sleepily.

"Lucy, it's noon already. You looked tired when I woke up, so I put you in your bed and let ya sleep, but I think we should go now if we wanna catch a job with Erza and Gray."

"Aye, sir!"

Lucy sat up and yawned, rubbing her sleepy eyes. "Noon? Why'd you let me sleep?"

Natsu grinned at her. "Well, you looked so pre-" He coughed suddenly. "Um, so sleepy. I thought I'd let you sleep a little longer. Or a lot longer."

Lucy barely registered the fact that he had almost called her pretty. She smiled up at him. "Well, thanks for that. And thanks for giving me back possession of my own bed."

Natsu nodded. "Where were ya last night, anyway?"

She yawned again and slowly stood up. She was still wearing yesterday's clothes, which were dirty and - to Natsu's alarm - stained with blood. "Just a job that took longer than I thought..."

"Are you okay?" Happy cut in, looking concerned. Natsu wore the same expression.

"Yeah, just some scrapes," Lucy assured them. "So... I'll just get changed, and after that, should we get going?"

"Aye!" Happy and Natsu called simultaneously. Lucy just laughed, and before they knew it, the three were on their way to Fairy Tail.

... ... ...

"Hey, Lu-chan," Levy greeted happily as her friend walked into the guild. "And Natsu, and Happy!"

"Hi, Levy," Lucy responded with a warm smile.

"Yo!" Natsu called over to Gray, across the guild hall. "Ice Boy! I challenge you to fight me!"

Gray blinked, startled at the sudden appearance of his rival, but quickly leaped up. "You bet!"

"Gray. Clothes," Lucy reminded with a sigh. "Seriously? Two seconds and they're already off?"

"But they're not - ack!"

Lucy laughed as she watch Natsu and Gray start to brawl, as usual. Before long, the rest of the guild had mostly joined in, with the exception of Lucy, Levy, Wendy, and Carla.

She remembered first being terrorized by the guild's nature, but now, she knew she wouldn't have it any other way. She was about to order some coffee from Mirajane when she realized that Mira had also joined in the fight.

With a sigh, Lucy turned back to the brawl. "Beat 'em all up for me, Natsu!"

Upon hearing this comment, Natsu raised a flaming fist and grinned his trademark toothy grin. "You bet, Luce! I'm all fired up!"

Lucy smiled. _Never change, Fairy Tail. Never change._

... ... ...

 **So, I guess I'm gonna have a mix of stuff, and by no means will they be in chronological order. They'll all be random, and set in whatever point in time I feel like setting 'em in, 'cause this is basically just a collection of separate one-shots. And of course, some will be more along the lines of friendship and camaraderie, while others will be more romantic.**

 **THERE WILL BE NO LEMONS WHATSOEVER.**

 **So as not to cause any conflict with any other ships (like Gruvia vs Grayza vs Jerza) the only ship prominent in every single one-shot will be, obviously, NaLu. If I feel like it, another ship may be present in a certain one-shot, but that can completely change in another chapter.**

 **So anyway, hope you've enjoyed, and I hope you stick around for the rest of these three years, too!**


	2. Nightmare

**I would like to thank Typhlosion8 and Glassdrop, my internet buddies, for being my first reviewers, as usual! And I would also like to thank Sawakaze-Steph16 for reviewing, as well! Whoa, three reviews and it hasn't even been a full 24 hours. That's sure promising, if you ask me! :D**

 **Day Two**

 **Nightmare**

Lucy woke up on the floor, her hair and clothes damp with sweat. She was cold, freezing cold.

Slowly, she pulled herself into a sitting position. She'd fallen out of her bed and was breathing hard and fast, pumped with adrenaline. She tried unsuccessfully to calm her beating heart, and a sob escaped her lips.

"Natsu," she whispered under her breath, feeling tears begin to roll down her cheeks as sobs wracked her shoulders. "N-Natsu..."

"Luce?"

Lucy jumped nearly out of her skin. She turned to see Natsu, crouched in her window. "Lucy, you alright?"

She hastily wiped the tears from her face. "I-I'm fine, Natsu."

"Hey," he murmured, slipping into the shadows of her room and coming to sit beside her. "I heard you crying. I was walking back from the guild, and I heard you when I passed by your place."

They spent a few moments more in silence before he spoke up again. "You can talk to me, you know."

Lucy turned to Natsu and, unable to restrain herself, threw herself forward in a hug. Natsu went rigid at first, startled, but quickly relaxed. He wrapped an arm protectively around her as she sobbed into him.

"I-I..." she hiccupped. "I had a nightmare..."

Natsu gently ran his hands through her blond hair, trying to soothe her. "A nightmare?"

"Y-yeah..." she whispered. "You... and me... we were out on a job."

He nodded, resting his chin on her head.

"And then - and then you - " Lucy burst into tears again, clutching the pink-haired dragonslayer like a lifeline. "You _died,_ Natsu!"

Her sobs rang out loudly through the apartment. Natsu was startled by what he heard.

I died, in her dream? he thought. And it's affecting her this badly?

Slowly, he began to sway back and forth, rocking her in his arms. "Hey, it's alright, Luce. I'm right here, don't worry."

She nodded into his chest, and her grip on his shirt loosened, but neither made any move to pull away.

"Natsu?"

"Yeah, Luce?"

She pushed back slightly, gazing up at his concerned face, and smiled slightly. "P-promise me you'll never, ever leave me."

Natsu grinned. "Alright, Luce. I promise." He pulled her back into him, holding her tightly - protectively. "I'll never leave you alone. It'll be just the two of us, together forever, right?"

Lucy sighed, content. Natsu was glad she'd stopped crying.

"Yeah," she murmured. "I... I think I like the sound of that."

Natsu ran his hands through her hair again, calming her, holding her. He'd always be there for her. Always.

"I love you, weirdo," he whispered into her hair.

"Huh?" Lucy looked up.

"Nothin', Luce," Natsu said with a smile. "I just need you to promise me something, too."

"What is it?" she asked with a yawn. She was still sleepy.

"That you'll never leave me, either."

Lucy squeezed him tightly in her arms. "Okay." Her voice was soft, and Natsu realized she was about to fall asleep again. "I promise."

... ... ...

 **Oi, that sure was fun to write!**

 **So, didja guys like today's theme? I'm planning on doing something Facebook-related sometime soon. Like, maybe tomorrow. Or whenever I feel like it. :P**

 **Also, I'll be taking requests for the next three years! *wink wink* Don't be shy, now! :3**


	3. Facebook Insanity, PART ONE

**Oi!**

 **Today's was a HECK of a lot of fun to write! :D I hope you enjoy!**

 **(This one's just for laughs... and it also contains hints to GaLe, by the way!)**

... ... ...

 **Day Three**

 **Facebook Insanity**

"Facebook?" Natsu muttered as he scrolled through the screen on Lucy's laptop, without her knowledge. "Uh, what the heck is Facebook?"

"Oh, type something there, Natsu!" Happy said excitedly pointing one blue paw at the screem.

"Good idea! ...uh, what should I type?" Natsu asked with a frown. "How about you type something first?"

"Aye!"

 **Lucy Heartfilia: I love fish! I love beautiful gorgeous fish! They taste so good! And Happy is the cutest cat ever and I love him! Yay!**

Natsu grinned. "That works."

 **Comments:**

 **Levy McGarden: uhhhhhh if you like Happy so much then why are you always calling him a "stupid cat"?**

 **Droy Loves Levy, Jet Loves Levy, and 5 others like this.**

 **Gajeel Redfox: Droy and Jet what the heck is up with your last names?!**

 **Levy McGarden: aw, I think it's kind of sweet. :3**

 **Droy Loves Levy and Jet Loves Levy like this.**

 **Droy Loves Levy: I like it better than my real last name.**

 **Jet Loves Levy likes this.**

 **Gajeel Redfox: I'm sick of those stupid last names already.**

Natsu and Happy were busy having a laughing fit when Lucy walked out of the shower, a towel wrapped around her.

"Natsu!" she gasped, then blushed. "I-I need to get dressed - wait, hey...! HEY! DON'T TOUCH MY COMPUTER! Wait, WHY ARE YOU IN HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?!"

Natsu grinned. "You know, Lucy, this Facebook thing seems cool. I want one!"

Lucy glanced from them to the laptop, taking in the situation. After a brief silence, she simply groaned and said, "just _try_ not to destroy anything - my reputation included! - while I change." And with that, she walked back into the bathroom...

...leaving Natsu with free reign over this new, magical thing called Facebook.

"Okay, what next?" he asked. Happy was busy scrolling through a page called "Friends." Natsu's eyes widened as he scanned the list. "Happy! Just about every single person in the guild has this thing!"

Happy nodded. "Aye..." Then he clicked on Gray's profile.

 **Gray Fullbuster: Gonna beat Natsu up today. Again.**

"Hmm, should we put something here?" Happy pondered.

"Gimme that," Natsu said with an evil grin. Happy pushed the laptop across the desk toward Natsu, who started to type.

 **Comments:**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: What the heck do ya mean, Fullbuster? Natsu's WAY better and stronger than you!**

 **Nobody likes this.**

 **Erza Scarlet: ...who's Nobody?**

 **Gray Fullbuster: It wasn't me. I swear. I did not, at all, IN ANY WAY, make an account that I use for liking people's lame comments! No! I swear to Mavis I didn't!**

 **Mavis Vermillion likes this.**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: Gray is such a liar. And HOW CAN MAVIS LIKE STUFF ON THIS, SHE'S A GHOSTIE!**

 **Mavis Vermillion likes this.**

 **Gray Fullbuster: Even if I'm a liar, I'm cooler than Natsu in more ways than one!**

 **Mavis Vermillion likes this.**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: Well, Natsu's HOTTER in more ways than one!**

Happy burst out laughing, and Natsu's evil grin widened.

 **Levy McGarden, Mirajane Strauss, and 1029474568109347918247012 others like this.**

Happy and Natsu were rolling on the floor now, laughing harder than ever.

 **Mavis Vermillion: I was one of the** **1029474568109347918247012 others.**

 **Gray Fullbuster: The point of Facebook isn't to like everyone else's everything, First Master, with all due respect.**

 **Mavis Vermillion likes this.**

Happy giggled. "Let's find another page - oh, look! Mirajane's!"

 **Mirajane Strauss: Lucy just commented on Gray's page that she thinks Natsu is HOT!**

 **Comments:**

 **Laxus Dreyar: Of course, of course. Our local matchmaker.**

 **Juvia Lockser, Levy McGarden, and 16** **others like this.**

 **Juvia Lockser: Juvia wants Mirajane to make a match of Juvia and Gray-sama!**

 **Gray Fullbuster: NONONONONONONO**

 **Mirajane Strauss: Hello?! Guys! LUCY SAID NATSU IS HOT!**

 **Wendy Marvell: But Natsu-san's flames ARE hot...**

 **Mirajane Strauss: But she said "in more ways than one!"**

 **Wendy Marvell: ... :O**

Natsu cast a glance at the bathroom door, which remained firmly shut. "Lucy's gonna kill us," he decided. Then he grinned.

 **Lucy Heartfilia: It's all true. Natsu is my bae!**

 **Levy McGarden, Mirajane Strauss, and 328091248938742394710294857 others like this.**

"How the heck are that many people even on this page?" Natsu cried, incredulous. Happy was too busy laughing like a maniac to answer.

 **Levy McGarden: WE WERE ALL WAITING FOR IT TO HAPPEN, LUCY!**

 **Mirajane Strauss, Lucy Heartfilia, and 27 others like this.**

 **Mirajane Strauss: I KNOW RIGHT LEVY!**

 **Levy McGarden: By the way, Lucy, you might not have noticed this but Natsu is head over heels for you.**

Natsu immediately stopped laughing.

 **Mirajane Strauss: :D Now you two can be the happiest couple in Fairy Tail! Natsu is going to be so happy when we tell him! I think he's been in love with you right from the beginning!**

 **Levy McGarden, Gray Fullbuster, and 34 others like this.**

 **Gray Fullbuster: Anyone who didn't notice that is a complete idiot.**

Natsu's face turned red as a cherry.

Happy poked him, a sly grin on his face. "Your little plan backfired?"

Natsu stood up abruptly, leaped out the window, and took off running. Lucy chose that moment to step out of the bathroom, fully dressed.

"...Happy? Where did Natsu go?"

Happy laughed nervously. "Well, um..." Grinning weakly, the Exceed spread his wings and dove out the window after his friend.

"Wha - hey! Happy! Natsu! Where are you - " Lucy suddenly froze, her face paling. "Oh, _Mavis._ What did those idiots _do?"_

She flung herself over to the computer, took in everything she could, and groaned, thunking her head on the desk. "Oh, _no."_

 **Cana Alberona: So Lucy finally confessed her feelings. I'm going to spread the word. Like this and then put the news on your page!**

 **Levy McGarden, Lisanna Strauss, and 1209483280192477351380142984983657836198401298409327501984301927895639 others like this.**

"No, no, _nooooooooo,"_ Lucy groaned, thunking her head on the desk even harder.

Fearing what she might find, Lucy clicked on Lisanna's page.

 **Lisanna Strauss: Lucy just confessed her feelings for Natsu!**

 **Elfman Strauss, Mirajane Strauss, and 476 others like this.**

 **Elfman: About time! Lucy's a real MAN! And Natsu's a MAN for getting such a hot chick!**

Lucy was pretty sure she was gonna cry... or something. Next, she checked Levy's profile.

 **Levy McGarden: AHHH! Lu-chan confessed her undying love for Natsu!**

 **Jet Loves Levy, Droy Loves Levy, and 936 others like this.**

 **Jet Loves Levy: Hey Levy, do you think you might do the same for the guy YOU like?**

 **Droy Loves Levy: Yeah, d'ya think you will?**

 **Levy McGarden: Well, I'm not sure if he likes me back... I hope he does... I mean, I think he does...**

 **Gajeel Redfox likes this.**

 **Droy Loves Levy: OF COURSE I - um, OF COURSE HE DOES!**

 **Jet Loves Levy likes this.**

 **Levy McGarden: um... well... I think I'd rather tell him in person instead...**

 **Gajeel Redfox: See you at the guild in thirty minutes.**

 **Levy McGarden likes this.**

 **Jet Loves Levy: ...WHAT. THE. HECK! GAJEEL YOU JERK!**

 **Droy Loves Levy likes this.**

"Okay, wow," Lucy muttered as she clicked on Cana's name. "I knew those two were obsessed, but... WOW."

 **Cana Alberona: Well, Lucy confessed her love for Natsu. We already knew it, though, didn't we?**

 **Levy McGarden, Mirajane Strauss, and 13948857120198329387102938 others like this.**

Upon seeing the mind-boggling number of likes, Lucy wisely did NOT check the comments. She planned on never checking those comments ever in her life. "Maybe I'll just move," she mused as she clicked on Wendy's profile and continued to watch her reputation crumble to bits.

 **Wendy Marvell: Ummmm... so, Lucy-san says she likes Natsu-san... and he's her bae... and stuff... sooooo, yeah...**

 **Everyone likes this.**

 **Gray Fullbuster: I did NOT make a profile named Everyone that I can use to like comments. I SWEAR IT'S NOT ME! I SWEAR!**

 **Wendy Marvell: But maybe the confession thing was a prank and it wasn't real?**

 **Nobody likes this.**

 **Wendy Marvell: Or maybe not...**

 **Everyone likes this.**

 **Mirajane: NATSU AND LUCY = MEANT TO BE**

 **Levy McGarden, Makarov Dreyar, and 1984273 others like this.**

 **Makarov Dreyar: I just love watching my children grow up and fall in love! :D**

Lucy thunked her head so hard on the desk, she thought she might knock herself out, and that was kind of the intention.

"I've decided," she muttered to herself. "I'm never coming out of this apartment again."

Somewhere not too far from there, Natsu made a similar decision.

... ... ...

 **XD As you can see, today's was purely humor.**

 **I hope you enjoyed it, and of course, I'm still taking requests. Tomorrow's will be a request I received from a reviewer! :3**


	4. Natsu's Date!

**Oi! Welcome to Day Four! If the title startles you, I'm not surprised. XD**

 **Day Four**

 **Natsu's Date?!**

Natsu first found Caroline in a fast food shop.

He was hungry. They'd gone on a job and, for goodness sake, Lucy made them skip lunch! I mean, _lunch!_ And she acted like paying her _rent_ was more important than _food!_

Natsu was fairly certain she wasn't human, but then, he was hungry and needed to eat before he could do much more thinking on the topic. So he headed to a fast food place - his favorite, McHonald's - and let Happy go fishing by himself. Natsu was much too hungry to be patient and _fish_ for his food at a time like this!

And then... he met her.

Caroline was sitting at a table for two, but she was by herself, looking awfully lonely. He waved a cheerful "hello" as he walked by, and she waved back, more shyly.

Then he sat down, ate his cheeseburger, and they spoke no more...

That is, until he saved her.

He was walking back to Lucy's place from McHonald's when, suddenly, he heard the sounds of a struggle nearby. Darting into an alleyway, he saw a blond girl pinned to the wall by a large, burly man with a nasty scent.

And the man had a _knife._

Seeing the blond hair, Natsu acted on instinct.

"Lucy!" he yelled, and a flaming fist hit the man square in the face. Natsu didn't stop there, though. He kept going, punching the man time after time.

Only when the man lay beaten and hardly conscious did Natsu stop.

"Don't you _ever_ touch her again," the pink-haired mage hissed furiously. "Or I'll _kill_ you."

Then he stood up and turned to see if Lucy was okay.

...except... wait, that wasn't Lucy...

"Hold on a second," Natsu said, taken aback. "Who're you?"

She peered at him curiously. "You were in the cafe, weren't you? The boy I saw?"

Natsu blinked. "Oh, yeah - that's right! Anyway, I guess you're not Luce..."

She laughed. "No, but thank you for rescuing me anyway. Are you and Lucy...?" She hesitantly left the question open-ended, and anyone who wasn't a fool would have realized what she was implying. Except Natsu was very much a fool.

"Ah, we're best friends," he said dismissively. The woman blinked, then nodded.

"I see," she said with a smile. "Well, I'm Caroline."

"Nice to meet cha!" Natsu said happily, reaching out to shake her hand. "I'm Natsu!"

Instantly, Caroline withdrew her hand. "Natsu?" she repeated disbelievingly. "You mean - you mean you're _the_ Natsu? Of Fairy Tail?"

He grinned. "Yup."

Caroline bit her lip. "I thought you were supposed to be really... destructive and awful and stuff..."

Natsu laughed. "Well, when everyone tells the stories of how terrible Fairy Tail is, they always leave out the number of lives we always save. And how if we weren't around, the world might be taken over by dragons and ninety percent of the human population would be dead. And how we've taken down a bunch of dark guilds who all tried to take over the world and kill all humanity in their own little way."

Caroline blinked and stared.

"We just, you know, happen to be kinda destructive by accident when that happens," he said with a toothy grin. "So don't worry. We might not be total heroes or anything, but we ain't _monsters."_

The blond girl smiled shyly. "Well, you saved me, at least, even without all that other crazy stuff... so I guess I wouldn't take you for a monster, anyhow."

Natsu laughed again. "That's a relief."

Caroline suddenly perked up at an idea she'd had. "Hey, as thanks for saving me, how about I treat you to a dinner date?" She twiddle her thumbs nervously as she spoke, but the shy smile remained. "Just... you know, the two of us?"

Natsu blinked. Did... she just say... _date?_

(You better not tell anyone, but Natsu had been honestly hoping his first date might be with _another_ certain blond girl he knew. No, I'm not naming names! Except, well, I'll give you a hint. It rhymes with... darn... what does "Lucy" rhyme with? ...AAAAAHHHHH! OOPS!)

(...I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING!)

But then... if Caroline HAD said "date," well, she didn't mean it, you know, "that way" or anything... did she?

And then... she said _dinner,_ which meant _food._ And she said _she_ would treat _him!_ Natsu really couldn't turn down the idea of free food.

"Well, sure," he said with a bright smile. "Sounds good to me. Does six o'clock sound good to ya?"

She flushed. "Y-yeah..." Her face was totally pink. Why was her face so pink?

Oh, Mavis, maybe she DID mean it "that way."

But he'd already agreed... and... FREE FOOD...

"Okay," he said. "Meet me then at Cathy's Burgers."

She smiled, still blushing bright pink, and nodded. "O-okay. It was nice meeting you, Natsu!"

He smiled after her and waved as she hurried away, but as soon as she was out of sight, his hand dropped and his smile faded slightly as he pondered something...

 _Had she just REALLY asked him out? On... on an actual **DATE?!**_

... ... ...

"Hey, Natsu!"

"Natsuuuuuuu!"

Natsu glanced up at Lucy and Happy. "Oh, hey, guys," he said calmly. "What's up?"

"That's what WE need to ask YOU!" Lucy exclaimed. "Ever since you got back from lunch, something's been strange. You've actually been acting like... like a _normal person!"_

"Yeah," Happy agreed, "and it's weird."

"It's nothing," the dragonslayer mumbled. He caught sight of the paper in Lucy's hand. "Oh, what's that? Another request?"

"Yeah!" she replied excitedly. "This one's really good. Just beat up a couple monsters for fifty thousand jewel! I was thinking we go right now, before the sun goes down."

Natsu bit his lip. "But... I'm busy at six o'clock today. And it's already five. I actually probably gotta go... get changed or something."

Lucy blinked. "Natsu? What are you talking about? Are you going on a job with someone else?"

She looked so dejected, Natsu almost didn't want to tell her what he was _really_ doing.

But he couldn't lie to her face like that...

"I'm going on a date!" he blurted.

Everyone in the guild went silent.

And then...

Happy burst out laughing. "You? For real? What girl in her right mind would say yes to YOU?" Laughter began to ring out from the rest of the guild as well. Mirajane giggled to herself and gleefully danced around.

"Actually, she was the one to _ask_ me," Natsu muttered.

Lucy, however, remained silent. She looked at Natsu with an expression that seemed to be a mix of wistfulness, surprise, and...

And a look so sad that it almost broke Natsu's heart.

"O-oh," she muttered. "That's... oh. Okay. Um... I guess I'll go alone."

And with that, she turned and ran out of the guild. But not before Natsu saw the tears forming in her eyes.

... ... ...

"So," Caroline said awkwardly. "Um... how are things?"

"Good," Natsu mumbled, focusing on his burger. Was the free food really worth Lucy's tears?

No.

He sighed. "Look, Caroline... I gotta say something."

She glanced back up at him, biting her lip nervously.

"I can't do this."

The blond nodded. She'd been expecting this.

"I mean... I missed a job with one of my best friends in the world because of a date," he said with another sigh. "And she thought it was in the romantic sense. Truth is, Caroline, I know how you probably want this to be, and I'm grateful for the food and all... but I don't really know you at all." He smiled at her. "It's been nice... but I think I broke my best friend's heart earlier today and I gotta fix it."

She smiled back. Then she said, quietly, "it's nice to know how much you care about your friends. And the girl you were talking about... the one you mistook for me, right?" Natsu nodded absently, and she continued. "She's a really lucky girl."

Natsu turned a little pink at this. Caroline laughed. "Go on. Find her."

And, with a grateful nod and a smile, Natsu did just that.

He didn't need to be going on dates, because he knew all to well that his Fairy Tail friends meant the most to him, and they always would.

 _Especially_ Lucy.

... ... ...

 **That one was a request from Gh0st's Buddy. Hope you all enjoyed! :D And as for tomorrow, Mirajane will be playing matchmaker... uh oh! XD**


	5. Mirajane Makes a Match (Oh No)

**Hey, you guys! It's meeeeee!**

 **I've decided that I need more help with author's notes, and have invited a friend to help me out. MIRAAAAAAAAAA!**

 **Mirajane: Hiiii! ;)**

 **Mirajane, you're co-narrator!**

 **Mira: :) Yay! Can we get started with this chapter, though? I'm excited...**

 ***sweatdrops* Uh oh...**

 **Day Five**

 **Mirajane Makes a Match (Oh No)**

The bar counters were awfully squeaky clean today. It was almost unnatural. Not that Mirajane Strauss minded - no, she was too busy staring at a certain couple to even notice how hard she was rubbing the marble countertops.

Of course, the couple she was staring at was actually not really a couple. Mirajane didn't care how many protests and denials she received when she paired up her adorable couples, because in her mind, every case of boys and girls being friends meant a couple. A _romantic_ couple. As I'm sure we all know, Mirajane was by far the guild's most _obsessed_ matchmaker.

Well, Juvia might've been more obsessed when we're talking about the couple that was Juvia and Gray, but Mira was typically the most obsessed with romance and love in general.

And today, the "couple" she was staring at was none other than Natsu and Lucy.

The pink-haired dragonslayer was arguing with the blond Celestial mage about - about _something,_ and _whatever_ it was, it was a very heated discussion indeed. Mira was gazing intensely at the two, trying to see some sort of romance in it.

That was when she realized that she didn't HAVE to look! Because they were fighting, as many people would often put it, "like a married couple!" That was romance in itself!

 _Now,_ Mira pondered, _to get them to notice how utterly romantic they're being..._

Suddenly, Lucy stood up and walked away in a huff. Mira saw her chance and pounced on it... well, she pounced on Natsu.

"So," she said with a knowing smile, "what was all that about?"

Natsu scowled. "Nothing, Mira."

"Oh, really?" Mirajane giggled. "It didn't look like nothing to me."

Natsu sighed. "Lucy was just mad at me 'cause I broke into her apartment and ate her... well, everything. Nothin' out of the ordinary."

And that was when, suddenly, a wicked grin appeared on Mira's face. "I see..."

Before Natsu could say anything more, Mira was gone. She'd dashed out of the building after Lucy.

Natsu shrugged it off. "Whatever..."

 **... ... ...**

Lucy was walking through the street and back toward her apartment when Natsu jumped out at her. Immediately, Lucy knew something was wrong. Mostly from the look on her face.

...it was... like... _romantic_ or something...

"Eek!" Lucy cried in surprise. "N-Natsu?"

He smiled at her - a mature, gentle smile. "Hey baby... just wanted to say I'm real sorry 'bout before... I love you, ya know..."

"Wh-what?" Lucy flushed pink and her voice was barely a squeak. "You - you - _what?"_

And then, suddenly, a voice yelled her name.

"LUCY!"

Lucy jumped in surprise and turned around. There was...Natsu... he was running towards her and calling her name. "LUCYYYYYYY!"

"Wait. Wait. Wait a second." Lucy turned back to the Natsu she'd seen before, who now looked incredibly nervous. "Um..." he said awkwardly in a voice that was not Natsu's at all.

"Mirajane?!" Lucy cried, incredulous.

Mira laughed nervously and dropped her transformation. She then took off running, not wanting to face the wrath of a furious Lucy Heartfilia.

"GET BACK HERE, MIRAJANE! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"

Natsu grabbed Lucy by the arm before she could run off. "Lucy!" he cried. "Wait!"

She paused, turning to him. "Natsu...?" she asked uncertainly.

"Look," he said with a sigh, "I need to say that I'm sorry. I... I really shouldn't have eaten all of that. I mean... you paid for it and stuff, soooo... it was really rude. And I'm sorry. I... I hope you forgive me..."

Lucy could tell that he was genuinely remorseful... and she was also sure that this was the real Natsu. Without warning, she lunged forward and hugged him.

"Silly," she whispered. "Of course I forgive you!"

Natsu grinned at her. "Great! Can we go on a job now?"

Lucy laughed. _"After_ you help me chase down that demon and get revenge."

Natsu's grin widened at that - in fact, now it looked positively wicked. "It's a deal. I'm all fired up!"

 **... ... ...**

 **I had to write this one pretty quickly. I'm rushed and stuff. So that means not much of an author's note...**

 **Mira: Byyyyye... see y'all next time! :)**


	6. AU: Little Natsu and Lucy

**Hi guys!**

 **Mira: Helloooooooo! :3**

 **Today's one-shot is going to be very very very cute and fluffy.**

 **Mira: Squeeeeeee! Cute and fluffy!**

 **XD Well then why don't we get started? It's an AU where Natsu and Lucy knew each other since they were kids, by the way.**

 **Mira: Awww... this one's gonna be ADORABLE!**

 **Day Six**

 **AU: Little Natsu and Lucy #1**

"...Dad?"

"Dad! Where are you?"

 _"Igneel!"_

Natsu stumbled through the forest, calling out for his father. Where was he? Why wasn't he here?! Maybe he was just... getting food or something. Yeah, that was probably it...

But Natsu had a feeling that it wasn't as simple as that.

"Dad!" he called again, now on the verge of panic. "Where'd you go? Come back!"

He started running. Where, he didn't know - he was just running _somewhere._ It had been two hours since he'd woken up and Igneel was gone. Natsu's voice was starting to go hoarse.

Finally, he slumped to the ground against a tree, feeling defeated.

Igneel was gone. Whatever had happened, Natsu couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever see the dragon again. Through all this time, Igneel had never once left Natsu like this. Natsu had always known, without a doubt, where his father was, and Natsu knew he'd be safe if he was around his dad.

Now that Igneel seemed to have abandoned him, the pink-haired boy had never been more insecure and afraid in his life.

"Igneel," he whispered to himself, starting to tremble. "Igneel, where did you go?"

He sat there for a moment, thinking of Igneel, and not having a clue what to do. His dad was gone. What was he _supposed_ to do?

Natsu was ripped from his thoughts by the sound of someone crying.

Startled, he stood up quickly and looked around. He didn't _see_ anyone - but then, the sound was quiet even to his sensitive ears, so whoever it was, they were clearly pretty far away.

Natsu took a deep sniff. He smelled some normal stuff: the oak trees, the wild daisies, the crows and mice and shrews. The only "normal" thing missing was Igneel, Natsu realized with a sharp pang in his chest.

But there was also something else - something that wasn't normal; something Natsu couldn't quite recognize...

He recalled a certain kind of flower that Igneel had showed him once. You could drink yummy stuff out of it. That was what this smelled like - those pretty yellow flowers.

What were they called, anyway...?

Natsu pushed the question to the back of his mind as he followed his nose. And when he reached the end of the scent trail, he was shocked at what he found.

"Who're you?" he asked, startled, as he stared at the little blond girl in front of him.

She looked up, and he realized she was crying. Uh-oh. Crying was a bad thing. What happened to her? Why was she out here? Was she lost? Hold on, she never said who she was...

"Who are you?" Natsu repeated, getting a little impatient. The girl sniffled and burst into loud sobs.

"Yikes," Natsu muttered. He was starting to get worried about her. Had something _really_ awful happened...? "What's the matter?" he asked more gently.

She sniffled again. "M-my... my mama..." she choked out, and gave a halfhearted sob. "Sh-she's gone..."

Natsu felt a pang of sympathy. That was something he could relate to. "What happened to her?" he asked softly.

"She died," the girl whispered.

Natsu sucked in a sharp breath.

"My dad disappeared today," he said quietly. "I don't know where he went. I... I don't think he's dead... I mean, I _hope_ not..." His voice cracked, and he stopped talking. He didn't want to start blubbering and crying like this girl.

"Don't you have a dad?" Natsu asked when he'd recovered.

"Y-yes..." the girl mumbled. "He's mean, though. H-he hates me. I'm never going back to him, ever again." She wasn't sobbing as hard anymore - in fact, now she sounded angry.

"Well, you can come with me," Natsu offered. The girl cocked her head.

"Where are you going?"

He grinned - a bright, toothy smile that made the little girl smile a little, too. "Not sure. I'm gonna find my dad."

She brightened. "Oh! What does he look like?" She stood up, and her scent wafted over Natsu. Those flowers... um... maybe honey flowers or something...?

"Well," Natsu said thoughtfully, in answer to her question, "he's very big. And he's red and scaly. He has big claws and wings, too!"

Her eyes widened. "H-he sounds like a dragon," she said in awe.

"He _is_ a dragon!" Natsu said excitedly.

The girl giggled. "Wow! That's so cool. I wish my daddy was a dragon." She paused, thinking of something. "Does... does your daddy love you?"

Natsu grinned. "Of course! He loves me a lot, and I love him too!"

Her face fell. "Oh. My dad doesn't love me." She thought up another question. "Do you have a mama?"

Natsu frowned. "No. Just Igneel, my dad."

"Oh..." she said again, then sighed. "Well, I wouldn't trade my mama for anything. Even a dragon daddy." Suddenly her voice got all wobbly again, and she sniffled. "B-but my mama's dead now..."

"Hey, don't cry," Natsu said. "You have... friends, right?" He didn't have friends, but he knew most kids like him had friends.

But the little girl shook her head. "My daddy doesn't let me go outside. And I can't go to school with other kids, either. I do homeschool." Natsu frowned. He didn't have a clue what this "school" was, but if she didn't have friends, that was sad.

He didn't have friends, either.

"Well..." he said slowly. "I don't have friends. So maybe... we could be each other's first friend?"

She smiled. "I'd like that."

Natsu held out his hand. "Then let's go, Honey-Flower Girl!"

She scowled. "My name is Lucy!"

He laughed. "Well, I'm Natsu, so come on!"

Lucy smiled warmly and took his hand. "Okay! It'll be a real adventure, right?"

He nodded. "That's right, Lucy. A real adventure!"

 **... ... ...**

 **So, Typhlosion8 has been complaining about how I'm leaving all my one-shots so open ended like this... sorry, Ty. But don't worry! If you guys want it, I'll do sequels of some of the one-shots. Like there'll be a Facebook Insanity Part Two and Part Three and so on, eventually. And I'll definitely keep this AU going, because little Lucy and little Natsu are so adorable! XD**

 **Mira: Yeah, you better keep it going. Those two are just the cutest... :D**

 **Right. So, expect me to put up another one of those up sometime soon. As for tomorrow, though...**

 **Mira: *whisperwhisperwhisper***

 **...NO, I AM CERTAINLY NOT DOING A LEMON! DID YOU NOT READ THE SUMMARY?!**

 **Mira: ^-^**

 **Argh. Anyway, tomorrow's will be a request because I have no ideas for anything. XD I hope you enjoyed Day Six!**


	7. Goodnight, Lucy

**I wrote out this chapter. It got deleted. And I'm already super crunched for time. I have less than ten minutes. No time for any of my requests, which would take me at least 20 minutes. Let's see if I can crank out a short something that'll keep you satisfied...**

 ***SCREAMS AT COMPUTER FOR DELETING MY CHAPTER***

 **... ... ...**

Lucy couldn't sleep.

She'd tried counting sheep, but whoever made up that method obviously never had REAL trouble sleeping. She tried counting stars, but clouds got in the way - not that it was working, anyway. She tossed and turned and groaned and grumbled and sighed.

Maybe music would help?

But she didn't have music or anything. Not with her. Not right now. Because right now, she was in the middle of the woods.

And she was kind of cold.

Lucy turned over and glanced at the sleeping Natsu and Happy. The trains were down and the town was far, so they'd had to walk to their next job, and the journey had led far enough into the night that they'd decided to stop and get some rest before starting again tomorrow.

Lucy sighed to herself.

She could try one thing.

But... no, that'd be weird...

Not that he'd ever had issues with it before...

Lucy heaved a sigh and stood up from her sleeping bag, picking it up. She stumbled over to where Natsu was and laid her sleeping back down beside his. Then she lied down on it, snuggling closer to her pink-haired friend.

He was obviously not totally asleep, because his arm reached out and wrapped around her, pulling her closer. And just before she fell asleep, Lucy heard him whisper in her ear...

"Goodnight, Luce."

... ... ...

 **So it's short and cheesy. Sorry. I'M OUT OF TIME NOW BYE!**


	8. The Charm Bracelet

**As I write this, I'm in the car on my way to an all-day trip with my family. It's kind of a long car ride, so I've actually got time today, unlike yesterday. DX Yesterday was insane and it made me mad at my computer.**

 **Mira: She hit it.**

 **...yeah, I hit it.**

 **Mira: Anyway, can we get started today? I can't wait to see more of my favorite couple! ^.^**

 **:D Okay! Today's one-shot is a request from Glassdrop.**

 **Day Eight**

 **The Charm Bracelet**

Lucy stared at the sky.

She was kind of lonely right now.

Natsu and Happy had left on a job. When she had arrived at the guild that morning, she was a bit disheartened to find that they'd gone without her. She wasn't sure if she wanted to go on a job by herself, either - and the better-paying ones required more than one person, anyway.

So she was now sitting at the bar, by herself. Erza had gone on a mission by herself. Juvia had dragged Gray off on a job, apparently, and Wendy and Carla had gone off with Shadow Gear. Levy, Jet, and Droy didn't often ask anyone else to go on jobs with them, but everyone in the guild loved Wendy. Even Laxus, though he'd probably argue that he didn't...

The thought made Lucy smile a little, but she was still lonely, and kind of sad.

"Hi, Lucy," Mirajane said, her perky voice startling Lucy out of her thoughts. Lucy looked up and smiled at the white-haired girl. "You look sad. What's happened?"

Lucy sighed. "Nothing happened, exactly... I'm just a little lonely. It's boring here at the guild without Levy or Natsu or Erza or Wendy or Cana or anyone. All of my friends are out on jobs except me."

Mirajane cocked her head. "You could go on a job, you know."

Lucy shook her head, smiling weakly. "I don't like going on jobs by myself. It's not as much fun. And besides, I'm pretty weak..."

Mira laughed. "I think you're underestimating yourself. You could handle plenty of the jobs on the board."

Lucy looked away. "Well, it's still not as much fun by myself."

"I get it." Mira nodded and smiled. "But, hey - the job that Natsu and Happy took shouldn't take more than a couple of hours. They should be back really soon, I think!"

Lucy smiled. "Really? Thanks, Mira." Well, if they'd be back soon, that was one thing to look forward to. Lucy leaned back in her chair, stretching and yawning. "Oh, can I get a glass of water?"

She wasn't sure how much time passed, but it didn't feel like very long before a pair of strong hands clamped down on her shoulders.

Lucy gasped and sat upright. "Who's there?!" she yelped, but she knew the answer to her question before the words even left her mouth.

"Hey, Luce!" Natsu said cheerfully, plopping himself down in the seat beside her. "Scared ya, didn't I?"

Lucy laughed. "Yeah..." Then she scowled and crossed her arms, looking away from him. "Where were you all day, anyway? I was lonely."

Natsu's toothy grin vanished. "Didn't you have Levy or Cana or somebody?"

"No," the blond huffed. "Everybody is out on jobs."

"Even Mirajane?"

"Mirajane has a job here, Natsu." Lucy turned back to face him.

"Hey... I'm sorry, Luce," Natsu sighed. "I didn't mean to leave you by yourself. But I couldn't take you with me."

"And why not?" Lucy challenged.

Natsu grinned. "Well, I was gettin' something for ya."

Lucy blinked. "What?"

The pink-haired boy laughed. "I saw that the job's reward wasn't money, so I took it so I could give you the reward. Just thought you'd like it." And then he held out a small box, wrapped with a pink ribbon.

Lucy bit back a smile. "You... took that job... for me?"

Natsu laughed. "Well, yeah! Now come on, open it!"

To his surprise, Lucy gave a shout of laughter and lunged forward, tackling him in a hug.

"Thanks, Natsu," she murmured. "That... means a lot to me." She pulled back and, glancing up at him and smiling, pulled off the ribbon and opened the box.

What she pulled out made her gasp.

It was a charm bracelet, complete with five beautiful charms, each intricately detailed and painted. Lucy fingered each tiny charm lovingly, and smiled up at Natsu.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

He grinned. "I picked out each charm specially, y'know. See that one, there?" He pointed to a charm shaped like a gold key. "That one is for your spirits. 'Cause you love 'em so much, right?"

Lucy smiled and nodded, fingering the charm.

"And this is for me," Natsu added, pointing to one that was shaped like a flame. "So you'll always know that I'm there for you, forever."

Lucy felt her face heat up as she blushed. "Th-thanks," she murmured. That was so... sweet of him.

Natsu gestured to the third charm, which was shaped like a castle tower. "That one's for the first time I saved your life. Remember?"

The time she'd leaped off Phantom Lord's tower in the desperate hope that Natsu would come to her rescue? Yeah, she remembered all right. Lucy nodded.

Natsu grinned. "And this one," he continued, pointing to the fourth charm, a yellow smiley face. "This one is to remind you to smile and be happy. I hate it when you cry."

Lucy bit her lip. She glanced at the charm and felt tears come to her eyes. "What about happy tears?"

Natsu smiled softly and reached out, brushing a salty drop off her cheek with his thumb. "I guess those are okay."

Lucy glanced back at the bracelet. She fingered the last charm: a bright pink heart. "And... what about this one? What's it supposed to mean?"

Natsu reached out to touch the charm. Then he cast a quick glance at Lucy. She realized he was blushing, and felt her own face heat up.

"Well," he said hesitantly, "you might have to figure that one out yourself."

He turned to leave, but Lucy grabbed his wrist. "Wait - Natsu, wait!" she blurted out. "Don't leave yet! Couldn't we - couldn't we go on a job or something, or - _mmph_!" Lucy's sentence was abruptly cut off as Natsu pressed his lips against hers.

Lucy almost ripped away from him in shock. But she realized... this actually felt... really nice...

Around them, the chatter in the guild instantly died, and a collective gasp ran through the room.

Lucy felt his arms wrap tightly around her waist, and she reached up and wrapped hers around his neck, kissing back passionately.

She'd never actually kissed before.

And she had never, in all her life, expected it to feel _that good_.

When, at last, they both pulled back, Lucy stared straight into Natsu's eyes, and Suddenly she realized something.

She was absolutely, completely, totally in love with Natsu Dragneel.

When had it happened? She wasn't sure.

But it was definitely real.

The guild suddenly erupted into cheers around them, and Lucy blushed and looked away, realizing that there were people around them. And those people had just witnessed everything!

But...

As Natsu's hands brushed back her hair and pulled her close to him again, Lucy realized that she didn't actually care.

Because, yep, she was in love with him.

Lucy clutched the charm bracelet to her chest and smiled so brightly, the sun would've paled in comparison.

 **... ... ...**

 **Sooooooo? You likey?**

 **Mira: *fainted on the ground***

 **...I guess that's a yes from her. As for you guys, well, let me know! How did I do on my first NaLu kissing scene? XD Hope ya enjoyed! See you tomorrow! And thanks to Glassdrop for the idea!**


	9. Hide-and-Seek

**Hai guys!**

 **Soooooooo... yesterday, Day Eight, triggered a bunch of screaming/squealing/high-pitched fangirl-like noises. XD I'm glad you all liked it! And I'm sorry I wasn't able to respond to most of the reviews... hehhhhh... I've been so busy though...**

 **Mira: *scolding face* NAUGHTY Kit!**

 ***pouts* Sor-ry. Anyway... I think we have a one-shot to get to! :D**

 **Mirajane: *squeals* Today's is super-fun and super-cute and super-hilarious, so get ready!**

 **Day Nine**

 **Hide-and-Seek**

Natsu had challenged Gray to a game of hide-and-seek.

It started out as another one of their typical arguments, with both mages spouting claims about how they were each better than the other at all manner of useless things. And Natsu had just claimed that he was better at hiding than Gray was, when the ice mage suddenly shouted, "oh yeah? _PROVE IT!"_

"I _will_ prove it!" Natsu shot back. "Let's have a game of hide-and-seek right now, to see who's better! I challenge you!"

"Challenge _accepted,"_ Gray spat. "Get ready to have your butt whooped, flames-for-brains!"

"Likewise, snowflake!"

By now, the whole guild had taken a bit more interest than usual in the argument. It often happened that the disputes between Natsu and Gray resulted in nothing more than a run-of-the-mill brawl. But a challenge of hide-and-seek? _That_ was new.

And... it sounded kinda fun.

"I'm in!" Elfman suddenly shouted, pounding his chest like a white-haired Tarzan. "I'll be a real _MAN_ and prove I'm the best hider in the guild!"

Evergreen humphed. "Oh, shut _up_ already, you brainless idiot. If a real man comes by, I'll let you know."

Elfman sulked in the corner.

"This sounds fun!" Mirajane piped up. "I think I'll play!"

"Well... if both of you are playing, Mira-nee, Elf-nii-chan..." Lisanna mused. "Count me in!"

"Oh yeah?" Laxus snorted. "Well, count me _out._ This is stupid." With that, he stalked out of the guild hall. After casting quick glances at each other, the Raijinshuu followed.

Natsu grinned, blowing flames up into the air. He was lucky the ceiling didn't catch fire. "Alright! Who else is in?"

"Me," Cana decided. "Nothing better to do, I suppose."

"Meeeeeeee!" Happy called, landing on Natsu's head. "I wanna play!"

"I'll play too," Erza decided. She cast a nasty glare at the rest of the guild, and an evil smile crept into her face. "I'll show all of you who's the _true_ queen of hide-and-seek!"

"It sounds fun!" Wendy said happily. "I'll play!"

Carla sighed. "I suppose I'll play with you, then, child," the white Exceed mumbled.

"Oh!" Juvia exclaimed. "If Gray-sama is playing, Juvia MUST also play! Juvia loves you, Gray-sama!"

Gray groaned and thunked his head on a table multiple times.

"What's this I hear?" Master Makarov called, coming out to see what the commotion was about. "A game of hide-and-seek? I'm too old for this stuff, but it will be fun to watch..."

Levy was bouncing up and down excitedly. "Come on, Gajeel, please?"

"Fine," the dragonslayer grumbled. "Whatever. We'll play too."

"Okay!" Natsu cried, satisfied. "Let's see who's It! One... two... three..."

"NOT IT!" everyone screamed at exactly the same time.

At that moment, Lucy walked into the guild. "Hey, everyone!" she said cheerfully. "What's goi - "

"LUCY'S IT!" everyone screamed, again, at exactly the same time.

... ... ...

"So..." Lucy sighed, finally understanding what had happened after twenty minutes of explaining and backtracking and squabbling and general confusion. "Hide-and-seek? And I'm the It?"

"That's right," Natsu confirmed. "Whoever gets found last is the winner!"

Lucy groaned, laying her head on the table. "I have absolutely no interest in this game..."

"Also," Makarov added, "I've decided to award the winner a prize of 100,000 jewel."

Lucy's head shot up. "WHAT?!"

Natsu grinned. "Right, that too! So anyway - "

"Hold up, hold up," Lucy interrupted. "Isn't there any way for _me_ to win?"

Gray shrugged. "You're the It, so... I guess not."

Lucy groaned again. "Noooooo... 100,000 jewel..."

Suddenly, she got an idea.

"Wait," she said with a sneaky grin. "How about this: if I find all of you in sixth seconds only, then I win. Okay? That way I have a chance at the prize."

Natsu scowled and crossed his arms. "Well... not that you'd ever find us in only sixty seconds, anyway. I say deal!"

No one argued.

Lucy smiled to herself.

She had a plan...

... ... ...

"...fifty-eight, fifty-nine, SIXTY! Ready or not, here I come!"

Lucy finished counting and turned around. Everyone had hidden themselves in the guild hall while she coutned. She now had sixty seconds to find all of them.

She smirked. Time to put her plan into action.

After walking around a little, Lucy ducked behind the bar and glanced around. "Mirajane!" she suddenly screamed. "Gajeel and Levy are in here and they're KISSING!"

Mirajane shrieked, dropped her disguise(she had transformed into a bird), and darted into the bar. "WHERE?! WHERE?!"

Gajeel and Levy barreled in next, shouting protests. "We! Were! NOT!"

Lucy giggled. "Found you all."

When they realized they had fallen into her trap, all three of them just groaned. "That's playing dirty..." Gajeel muttered angrily.

Fifty seconds left...

"Okay, phase two," Lucy muttered. Her voice rose to a shout. "OH MY GOSH! I THINK I FOUND HAPPY'S SECRET STASH OF FISH!"

... ... ...

Hidden with his secret stash of fish, Happy grinned evilly. "Not gonna fool me."

... ... ...

"Darn," Lucy sighed. "Okay. Plan B. HAPPY, I FOUND CARLA AND SHE PROMISED SHE'LL KISS YOU IF YOU COME OUT!"

Happy came out screaming Carla's name. Carla dragged Wendy out while shouting back that it wasn't true.

"Found you all," Lucy giggled. "Oh, and - JUVIA! GRAY IS STRIPPING!"

"I am not - WAUGH! Why does this always happen?!"

"Graaaaaay-samaaaaaaaa!"

"Found you," Lucy said smugly.

Thirty seconds left...

"Elfman, only a real man has the courage to come out and surrender to the It!"

Twenty-five seconds left...

"Cana! Mirajane left the bar unattended and - oh my gosh, I didn't know the guild OWNED this much beer! CANA! You have to see this! BEER BEER BEER!"

"BEER BEER BEER!"

Twenty seconds left...

"Lisanna - oh, Lisanna! Mira's been telling everyone stories of you and Natsu as little kids! I think she said something about a crush..."

Muffled sobs were heard, and Lucy followed the sounds. "How could you betray me, Mira-nee?"

Lucy threw open the door of the closet, and there stood Lisanna, crying. Lucy almost felt bad.

Ten seconds left...

"Natsu! GRAY challenged you to a battle and he swears you're too weak to beat him!"

... ... ...

"Can't fall for it," Natsu muttered through gritted teeth. "It's a trick... it's a trick..."

... ... ...

"Natsu? Gray says you're a weakling..."

"Wait!" Happy suddenly cried. "I have a better idea!"

The mischievous grin on the little cat's face worried Lucy. "O...kay..."

Happy cracked madly before shouting...

"NATSU! Lucy said that if you surrender and let her win the game, she promises she'll kiss you!"

"WHAT?!"

... ... ...

Needless to say... Lucy won the game that day.


	10. Smile

Smiling could be a hard thing sometimes.

And sometimes, smiling could be the _hardest_ thing.

See, there are different kinds of strength. There's physical strength. Natsu had that. Magic strength - he had that too. And there was a strength people call courage, and Natsu definitely had that one.

But there was another kind of strength: emotional. Emotional strength was something that a lot of people really don't have. Emotional strength is the kind that helps you push back your tears and put a smile on when smiling is the hardest thing you could try to do.

But Lucy had it.

Natsu could tell.

From the moment he'd met her, he saw that bright, beautiful, cheerful smile and he suddenly realized he wanted to get to know her. He brought her to Fairy Tail, and that had been one of the best choices of his life. Because there was something about Lucy that nobody else had.

Her smile.

Lucy was the one who smiled at him and cheered for him when the odds were impossible. Lucy was the one who forgot about all of her pain just to smile for her friends' sake. If her friends needed something - a smile, a little support - she didn't give a second thought to the emotional turmoil inside her.

Through everything, Lucy always smiled.

Even after losing her mother and being neglected through most of her childhood, Lucy was the one person in the guild who smiled the most.

Even after she had been kidnapped and beaten by Phantom Lord, Lucy smiled at Natsu, cheered him on, and helped him with everything she had left.

Even after she was beaten up by Kain Hikaru and he was threatening to crush her skull, Lucy smiled and told Natsu she'd rather stay with him than save herself.

Even after she found out her father had died, Lucy maintained her smiley character.

She had smiled through tears, through life-or-death situations, through torture, and through everything else the world threw at her - and she did it all for the sake of her friends. Because a single smile can give _everyone_ hope. And so Lucy smiled. She smiled through all of it.

And that, Natsu knew, took unbelievable strength.

Maybe that was why he'd fallen for her.

... ... ...

 **Hai! You likey?**

 **This one was drabbley and stuff. It was kind of a request from turtlerocksmysocks, who asked me to do a little something on why Natsu likes Lucy so much. And so... there ya go! :D**

 **Mira: SocutesofluffysocutesofluffysocuteSOFLUFFEH! *passes out***

 **:3 I'll be glad to know what you guys think of this one. It was definitely fun to write!**


	11. Get Up

**Day Eleven**

 **Get Up**

Obviously, Natsu _had_ to go _his_ way.

Die peacefully in his sleep at ninety-something years old, after a good life with the woman he loved and thirty-three babies?

No, that just wasn't good enough for him. He had to go down fighting.

Now, the thing with Natsu was, he got himself into tough situations, sure - but he pulled himself out. He'd been knocked down, countless times, and there was always that one time when everyone was sure he'd finally been beaten.

But no matter what, Natsu never, ever failed to get back up.

That was why no one saw it coming on that one day when he didn't.

Those guilds had attacked Magnolia - four of the larger dark guilds. From the very beginning, Fairy Tail hardly stood a chance. There were just so many powerful mages, and all of them knew how to play dirty.

Like grabbing an innocent little girl - couldn't have been more than five - and using her as an ultimatum. "Let us beat you to a pulp, or the kid's dead," they'd say.

That was how Mirajane went down. Right off the bat, that's what they did. And then suddenly, one of their strongest fighters was out cold and within inches of her life.

By then, most of the citizens of Magnolia had been evacuated, thank Mavis. Fairy Tail kept fighting, just as hard as they could, but it sure as heck wasn't easy. There were just so many of them, and they were so strong...

Honestly, it seemed Fairy Tail didn't stand a chance.

But then, that's somehow always the deciding factor. When Fairy Tail doesn't stand a chance, that's when you know they're going to win. They're going to defy all odds in any way they can and beat the crap out of whoever once seemed to be impossible to beat.

It's just the way they are, you know?

And so they kept going. They kept fighting. For everything they believed in, for their friends, their family, their nakama.

Lucy was having a particularly hard time. Many of the members had targeted her as weak, but she quickly proved them wrong with Loke's Regulus and a few lashes from her magic whip. But when she did that, suddenly there were dozens of wizards upon her, and half of them were considerably stronger than she was.

Lucy didn't care.

She kept fighting, telling herself that she was fine, she could handle it.

She took some down easily, but others were more stubborn - like Natsu - and just kept getting back up. It wasn't too long before Lucy found herself wearing down.

All of her silver key spirits were exhausted by now, if not incapacitated, and she didn't have the power to summon another gold key spirit. The magic power was flowing less steadily through her whip. Lucy dropped to her knees, panting, exhausted.

"Natsu," she muttered under her breath, "you'd better be handling your fight better than I am." And then she pushed herself to her feet once more, summoned all of the magic power she could, and lashed out again with her whip.

"Gotta... keep... going," she hissed through gasps of pain and heaving breaths for air. "Can't... give up... just... yet!"

But she was pushing herself to her limit.

And when the attack launched at her from behind, she barely was able to turn and see it coming, let alone dodge it.

Natsu, meanwhile, was just finishing off a few more grunts when he looked up and saw, out of the corner of his eye, Lucy. The girl he was in love with - not that anyone knew it but him. The girl who was about to be torn through by an attack from some dark mage.

She turned, her eyes wide and terrified, and froze. She'd never be able to get out of the way in time.

Natsu, however, made it in time - that is, in time to shove her to the ground and out of harm's way. He wasn't in time to get himself out of the attack's reach as well.

So when Lucy hit the ground, blood splattering across her clothes, she was horrified to realize it wasn't hers. And then Natsu collapsed on top of her, holding his stomach desperately. Not that he could staunch the blood flow, and neither could she.

"Natsu!" Lucy screamed, grabbing him. _"Natsu!"_

He grinned weakly up at her. "Hey, Luce," he choked out. He coughed, and more thick, sticky blood splattered onto Lucy's shirt. She didn't care about that, though.

"Y-you idiot!" Lucy cried, anguished. "Natsu, why'd you do that?"

He laughed, but Lucy could tell it hurt him. "H-hey, you're fine. Don't cry, Lucy." He reached up to brush away one of her tears with his thumb.

Lucy grabbed his hand, clutching it in hers like a lifeline. "How am I supposed to not cry?" she said, her voice shaky. "C-come on, Natsu. Get up. You have to fight, remember?"

The mages surrounding them had dispersed to tackle someone else, meaning the two weren't in danger of being attacked again. One look at Natsu's bloody state, though, and anyone would know they weren't out of the woods yet. Not even close.

Natsu just smiled weakly. "I dunno if I can, Lucy."

"What do you mean?!" she cried angrily. "Of course you can!" Her voice broke, and she leaned down, burying her face in his shirt. "Y-you have to get up..."

Natsu wrapped one strong arm around her. "Lucy... have I ever told ya this?"

"What?" she replied, her voice barely a whisper.

Natsu pulled her closer and breathed, "I love you, Luce."

Then his arm fell slack.

"N-Natsu?"

Lucy pulled away. His eyes were dull and glassy, staring into the distance. Her eyes widening with horror, the blond grabbed his hand again, and was terrified when she felt it going cold.

"No," she breathed. "No, no, no. Natsu - Natsu, _please_ \- "

She broke off, clutching his limp body, burying her face in his shirt again. _"Natsu!"_ she screamed. _"Answer me!_ G-get _up,_ you idiot!"

She went on sobbing, holding him, screaming his name. They found her like that later, when the battle was over. They'd managed to drive off the dark guild and save Magnolia.

It wasn't until they found Lucy with Natsu that they realized what today's victory had cost them.

And when they did find her, sobbing pitifully, her shoulders shaking, she was still begging him to get up.

Because that was what Natsu did best.

But this time, they all knew, Natsu Dragneel wasn't ever going to get up again.

... ... ...

 **Ooh. Angsty and tragic.**

 **Mira: *sniveling* YOU MEANIE! YOU KILLED NATSU! *bursts into sobs***

 **...ummmmm hehehe... that I did...**

 **ANNNNNNNNYway, I've been considering having another co-narrator. It can get a little boring here with just me and Mira. Maybe Happy or Lucy.**

 **Mira: Or Wendy! Wendy is adorable!**

 **Or Wendy, sure. Or Levy...**

 **Mira: Oh, if Levy comes, then we have to get Gajeel too!**

 **...whyyyyyyy...?**

 **Mira: *knowing smirk***

 **...ummmm anyway... it seems Mira has ulterior motives for this narrating business... buuuuut we'll ignore that for now, because this a/n is getting long. Toodle-oo, my pretties! See you tomorrooooowwwww! :3**


	12. Watching

**Day Twelve **

**Watching **

He was supposed to protect her.

That was his job.

Lucy probably would have argued differently, but in Natsu's mind, his single most important job was to protect her. To catch her when she fell; to rescue her when she'd been kidnapped; to swoop in and save her, like her own personal Prince Charming.

Yeah, he liked the sound of that. Her Prince Charming.

But...

He knew he couldn't.

He _couldn't_ be her Prince Charming. He wasn't worthy of the title. Because he couldn't help her when she needed him most. He couldn't save her _right now,_ as the iron cuffs dug into his wrists and nullified his magic. He was useless, powerless to help her, as the man before him tortured her mercilessly.

"Oh, I'll kill her, of course," he'd said with a nasty laugh. _"You,_ my little dragonslayer, I have use for - but _she'll_ only get in the way. And obviously I'd like to have just a little fun before we say our goodbyes. A young woman's screams - aren't they just music to your ears?"

"Let her _go!"_ Natsu had roared. "Don't _touch_ her, you jerk! _I'll kill you!"_

But his threats were void and meaningless, because though he struggled against the chains and the cuffs, Natsu was utterly powerless.

The worst part was her screams.

They echoed in his head and rang in his ears. As tears pooled in her eyes, Natsu felt fresh tears of his own form, and with every ruthless hit she took, and every scream that ripped out of her mouth, Natsu felt a scream rise in his own throat.

 _"LUCY!"_

Over and over, he yelled her name, but he was powerless to do anything more than watch and call out to her.

"N-Natsu," she wheezed, panting. "D-Don't worry... I'm f-fine, I promise..."

 _"Lucy,"_ he whispered back, tears leaving wet tracks down his dirty cheeks. "I'm sorry, Lucy..."

"What... for?" the blond replied, forcing a smile. "I'm... fine... I already told you. You don't... have to... w-worry 'bout me."

And then the cruel man struck her with another blow - he was using earth magic, pummeling her with rocks and cutting her with sharp stones.

Lucy gave another agonized shriek.

Natsu's scream harmonized with hers.

Why couldn't he protect her? Why did he let himself get caught like this? Why couldn't he be her Prince Charming? _Why was he stuck here just watching?!_

Natsu repeated those same questions over and over again in his head as tears streamed down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Lucy..." he choked out. _Watching._ That was all he could do.

The man had left now. They were alone in the cell. Lucy was lying, limp and bloody, on the ground in front of him. And he _still_ couldn't reach her - the iron cuffs cut deeply into him when he pulled against them, leaving his wrists and hands bloody.

"Lucy," he called out to her.

She didn't respond immediately. Her breath was coming in shuddering gasps. Slowly, _dreadfully_ slowly, she pulled herself to her knees.

"N-Natsu," she coughed at last, stumbling towards him. As she slumped forward again, he caught her in his arms.

Finally, he could at least _reach_ her again. He could hold her.

Natsu pulled her close as her breathing got shallower. There was blood. So much blood...

"Y-you okay, Luce?"

The blond mage smiled up at him weakly. "Y..yup. Better... b-better than ever."

Natsu felt tears form in his eyes again. "Don't lie to me, Lucy..."

She hugged his chest tightly. "I'm... not. I'm w-with... you, aren't I? S-so that... means I'm... okay."

Natsu gritted his teeth, trying to push back the tears that threatened to spill over. He couldn't cry now. He needed to be strong.

He stroked her hair gently with one hand. "S'all right, Luce. S'all right."

They stayed like that for the rest of the night, Natsu never once letting go of her.

He knew one thing for sure.

Tomorrow, come morning, that man was coming back, and he meant to kill Lucy.

But Natsu also knew something else.

He wasn't going to let _anything_ happen to her. Because Lucy was precious to him, more than anyone else in the guild - even Happy. Lucy was the one person in the world whom Natsu unquestionably loved the most.

So tomorrow, that man wasn't going to lay a hand on Lucy. Somehow, some way, Natsu would protect her. He'd break the cuffs. He'd overpower the nullification magic. He'd do _something._ And he would _keep Lucy safe._

Because from now on, he was done watching.

 **... ... ...**

 **Oi! Y'all enjoy?**

 **Mira: Hmm, that rhymed.**

 **So it did. XD This one-shot took me, like, only fifteen minutes to write, and all in one sitting too! I guess I was just inspired.**

 **Mira: An inspired Choco is the best Choco!**

 **:3 Thank you, Mira. Anyway... I think I've decided on our next co-narrator!**

 **Mira: Who?!**

 **Weeellllll... answer me this. What is Elsa?**

 **Mira: An ice princess?**

 **Right. That's your answer!**

 **Mira: wait, what? Our next narrator is an ice princess?!**

 **...yes.**

 **Mira: ...OH! I know!**

 **See you next time, guys! Baaaiiiiiii! :D**


	13. Names

**Day Thirteen**

 **Names**

Names are an important thing.

We identify by them. We call each other by them. Sometimes, a person's name is their pride and joy.

Natsu liked Lucy's name a lot. He thought it was pretty. And it really did suit her. The blond Celestial mage with the perky, cheerful, and occasionally haughty attitude - yeah, "Lucy" suited her perfectly.

But then, names were just the beginning. Just the very, very beginning. There was so much more to her than that - so much more to her personality, and to her as a whole.

There was the way she looked. Her hair - gosh, her hair was gorgeous. And her eyes looked like there were a thousand stars shining in them -

Jeez. When did he get so sappy and romantic? Natsu groaned to himself.

"Natsu...?"

Lucy leaned across the table, her beautiful face showing nothing but concern as she peered at Natsu. "What's the matter?"

Her voice... her voice was just something else. Once before, Natsu heard her singing. He'd barged into her apartment again, and she was in the shower. He'd frozen in place for who knows how long just listening to her.

Yeah, her voice was definitely something else.

"Natsu?" Lucy prompted again, her brow furrowed with concern. "You alright?"

He blinked and cleared his throat. "Um - uh, yeah. That's right. I'm fine."

"You're getting kind of flushed. Sure you're fine?"

Natsu grinned up at her. "Yeah. Just thinking, I guess." He heard a squeal from Happy and sighed. "No joke, Happy. Yes, I'm thinking. For real."

Lucy smiled brightly. "Well, if that's all, I think I'll go pick out a job for us. Sound good?"

Natsu nodded and mumbled some sort of "yes," already lost in thought again.

Her bravery. That was another thing, and maybe the most amazing. She was _so_ amazingly brave. She'd been through so much, and yet she always persevered, she was always there for her friends, and she was always, _always_ brave.

Like that one time - with that man, Kain Hikaru, or whoever. Just the thought made Natsu want to punch himself. He'd been trapped beneath those boulders, practically helpless, and Kain was about to _crush her skull_. And yet she wouldn't run. She wouldn't leave Natsu and Happy alone.

If that wasn't brave, nothing was.

"Okay, how about this one?" Lucy held up a paper for Natsu to see. He glanced at the request and nodded, before falling back into his thoughts.

She was brave, she was beautiful, she had an amazing voice, and she had a pretty name.

"Alright." Natsu glanced up as he heard Lucy's voice again. "Here. I asked Mirajane for the job." She handed it to Natsu. "Apparently, we've gotta get rid of some rabid cows... But the reward is pretty decent!"

Natsu grinned. "Sounds good to me, Luce." He stood up and grabbed her hand, a brief tingle running through him at her touch. He saw her blush a little and hoped he wasn't doing the same. "Let's go!"

She nodded, smiling, and they left the guild with Happy right behind them.

He liked her smile, too. That was really pretty. Always bright.

He knew he'd always love the sound of her name. Because to Natsu, the name "Lucy" meant so much more than it once had. It meant her comforting scent, her astounding bravery, her bright smile, her beautiful face, her perfect hair... it just meant _Lucy._

His nakama. His best friend. And maybe, just maybe, the girl he'd fallen in love with

"Oh, yeah," Mirajane said with a dreamy smile when they were out of earshot. "He's got it bad..."

 **... ... ...**

 **Okay, yeah, here. This one was kinda similar to day... ten or something, I think, but whatever. It was what I thought up.**

 **And so yeah. There ya go.**

 **Mira: I thought you said you were gonna do Facebook pt.2 or something?**

 **Oh, yeah... I did tell someone I'd do that... but I found this half-finished idea and couldn't turn it down, especially considering I'm crunched for time.**

 **Mira: You're always crunched for time.**

 **...not ALWAYS... *sigh* Whatever...**


	14. Facebook Insanity, PART TWO

**You guys are gonna love this one.**

 **Mira: *evil chuckle***

 **Day Fourteen(it used to say thirteen 'cause I was too lazy to actually check, but then I checked, and I fixed it)**

 **Facebook Insanity, PART TWO**

 **Natsu Dragneel: my life is over literally Lucy is going to kill me**

 **Happy is a Cat likes this.**

 **Comments:**

 **Happy is a Cat: lol**

 **Natsu Dragneel: I didn't know you had one of these!**

 **Happy is a Cat: I just made one. Like you.**

 **Natsu Dragneel: interesting last name.**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: WHERE ARE YOU HIDING?!**

 **Natsu Dragneel: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH**

 **Happy is a Cat: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: I can actually hear you screaming from the guild hall. I bet you're hiding in here.**

Lucy glared at her phone screen as she stared at Natsu's Facebook page. After yesterday's insane issues with Natsu hijacking her Facebook, she had decided to come to the guild and sort everything out. Of course, everyone (especially Mirajane) was disappointed to find that she didn't ACTUALLY consider Natsu her "bae." But it was the truth. Lucy DID NOT and probably NEVER WOULD...

Several members of the guild were currently gathered around Lucy's phone at the moment, giggling.

 **Natsu Dragneel: We are not.**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: Are too.**

 **Natsu Dragneel: Are not!**

Lucy took a deep breath and yelled at the top of her lungs, "ARE TOO!"

To which an angry Natsu responded, "ARE NOT!"

A few moments later, he squeaked, "oops."

The guild burst out laughing.

 **Lucy Heartfilia: haha!**

 **Natsu Dragneel: shut up...**

 **Happy is a Cat likes this.**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: Your name is ridiculous Happy. Now both of u come out right now.**

 **Natsu Dragneel: NO**

 **Happy is a Cat likes this.**

Lucy sighed. "Those idiots... whatever." She then announced very loudly, "OKAY GUYS, BYE, I'M GOING ON A VERY DANGEROUS JOB WITH FLESH-EATING MONSTERS! I HOPE I DON'T DIE ALL ALONE WITH NO ONE TO PROTECT ME!"

She proceeded to walk out of the guild.

"LUCY NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Natsu screamed, leaping from his hiding place on the second floor and grabbing her by the arm. "I'LL GO WITH YOU!"

Lucy turned, grinning. "Gotcha."

"...ohcrapHAPPYRUN - "

Lucy grabbed him by the ear. "Ooooooh no you don't, mister," she said with a smirk. Natsu pouted.

"I'm sorry, Lucy..." he said quietly, giving her the puppy dog face.

Lucy sighed. Then she smiled brightly. "Of course I forgive you, idiot! Everyone knows I didn't actually say those things, so it's okay."

"Really?" Natsu said hopefully.

"Really," she promised with a laugh. "Now. How about that job?"

"Sounds great to me!" Natsu said with a laugh. "C'mon Happy!"

"Aye, sir!"

And thus, the three took off, completely forgetting to grab the request from the board. They returned five minutes later to do so and then left again.

Mirajane grinned.

Making sure no one would notice, she grabbed Lucy's phone off the table.

It was still logged in to Facebook.

Mirajane skipped back behind the bar, an evil grin creeping onto her face. "Time for some fun..."

 **Lucy Heartfilia: guys! NATSU JUST KISSED ME 4 REAL!**

To be continued...


	15. Carry Me

**Day Fifteen**

 **Carry Me**

"DAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDDYYYYYYYYYYYY!"

The little girl raced down the hall and toward the closed bedroom door of her parents, her pink hair flying behind her. She pounded on it with her small fists, demanding to be let in.

"Pleeeeeaaaaase, Daddy," the child whined, slumping back against the closed door. "It's no fun without anyone to play with!"

"Play with the guild kids," her father's gruff voice came. "Mommy and Daddy are taking a nap now."

The girl pouted. "Marley is mean and sa-sar- _sarcasssic,_ and Simon is scared of everything, and Emma is bossy, and Blue is also mean, and Ur is shy and doesn't talk and hides behind Blue, and Elliot is just _grumpy,_ and Lisa is the only fun one and she's with her mommy and daddy on a job and you and Mommy are mean 'cause _you_ never take _me_ on jobs and I wanna play!"

There was a slight pause.

Then her mother: "You know, Nashi, that's kind of how the guild was back when Daddy and I were younger. But they're still your friends, aren't they?"

The pink-haired girl, Nashi, pouted. "But... I don't wanna walk there by myself!" she said, desperate to somehow get her parents' attention.

There was another pause.

"Fine."

"Yay!" Nashi squealed. The door opened, and out stepped her father in all of his pink-haired, pajama-clad glory.

"Okay," Natsu sighed. "You win. C'mon, squirt!" A toothy grin spread across his face.

Nashi giggled and reached up, sliding her small hand into her father's large, tough one. Her smile matched her father's - wide and bright, with sharp canines, and totally, undeniably adorable.

They burst out of the house and down the street, toward the guild hall. Nashi seemed happy as a clam, and though Natsu hadn't wanted to go at first(because Mommy snuggle time tended to take precedence over everything), he was pretty happy too.

"Daddy," Nashi suddenly said, her childish voice surprisingly thoughtful and calm, "how do I make Blue stop being mean?"

Natsu outright laughed at this. "Sorry, kiddo. That's impossible. He's just as bad as his dad."

"Was Mr. Fullbuster like that when he was a little kid?"

"Oh, yeah. In fact, I bet he was even worse."

"Oh. Did he try to freeze your pigtails to see if they would break off because Mrs. Fullbuster hides the scissors from him?"

Natsu cursed mentally. "Well... I didn't have pigtails." Nashi giggled at that. "But I'll be sure to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Fullbuster about that little incident."

"Okay. Well, it didn't work anyway. Blue's ideas are always really dumb. Only Ur says she likes them, but that's just 'cause she's his sister, and the ideas are still awful anyway. Not like Lisa's ideas - Lisa's ideas are great!"

"Yup," Natsu agreed. "I bet." Lisa, the little black-haired bookworm - she was the spitting image of her father (besides the piercings - Gajeel probably wouldn't let Lisa get pierced until she was, like, eighty) but her personality was just like her mom's. Levy was always considered the biggest reader in Fairy Tail, but her daughter was now her competition for the title.

"Or like Emma's ideas," Nashi was continuing. "But Emma is always bossy. And... a little scary sometimes..."

Natsu laughed. Emma most definitely took after both of her parents. Strong leaders with decisive personalities - though Jellal's was much more subdued when around his wife. Jeez, Erza was scary. And bossy. So it was no surprise that her daughter was no different.

And then there was Simon. The shy kid. Named for Erza's and Jellal's old friend. The kid was meek and small and always scared, probably because his older sister got all the scary and fearless genes, Natsu reasoned.

"Marley gets ideas sometimes too, but she doesn't like anyone much, anyway." Nashi frowned. "I wish she did. I bet she could be really nice."

Natsu smiled affectionately. Nashi was just like her mother: always wanting to see the good in everyone, everywhere. Lucy was a pretty amazing girl, and Nashi couldn't have been more like her.

But Marley...

Nope. Laxus and Mira's daughter was way too closed-off, with everyone but a select few people. With Mira for a mom, Natsu would have expected the kid to be the friendliest person in the dang guild, but she clearly took more after Laxus. Though if anyone did get Marley to open up... it always resulted in a cheerful, laughter-filled good time.

Nashi was right. If Marley liked people more, she could be another Mirajane, easy.

"And Elliot is the grumpiest person ever, so don't ask him for an idea or he'll just get mad at you!" Nashi added. "He only joins in when he says our ideas aren't totally stupid and then he yells about how the games are so not MAN." She frowned. "Which doesn't make sense at all."

Elliot - oh, that was Elfman and Evergreen's kid. He was... basically... just a grumpy, nine-year-old version of his father: white hair, obsession with "MAN"(?), bulky body and everything else.

And even though she tended to complain about having "two annoying wannabes running around," Natsu knew she loved them both more than life itself. That was why she went and married the guy, after all.

Suddenly, Nashi stopped.

"Daddy," she whined, "I don't wanna walk." She smiled up at him. "Carry meeeee!"

Natsu raised an eyebrow. "Well..." He gave her a wicked grin. "I'll carry you... if you can catch me!"

Nashi giggled. "Okay!"

And the chase was on.

Obviously, Natsu lost on purpose, and Nashi tackled him to the ground and demanded he carry her, and Natsu responded by tickling her. Then he swung her up onto his back.

"Alright, here we go... you ready, kiddo?"

"Yeah!"

And they took off, father and daughter, unaware of the picture Happy had finished taking and was now posting to his Facebook page.

The little blue Exceed giggled. "They're so cuuuuuuuuute!"

... ... ...

 **Gray: ummm am I in the right place?**

 **Mira: the ice princess is here!**

 **Yeah, you're here.**

 **Gray: ummm... so why am just here, exactly?**

 **To help narrate NaLu one-shots!**

 **Gray: what?! Watch flamebrain make out with his girlfriend and then talk about it to millions of readers?! OH, MAVIS, NO!**

 **Well... I wouldn't exactly say millions.**

 **(Yet.)**

 **(...don't give me that look! I mean, come on, a girl can dream! One of these days...)**

 **Mira: enough dreaming! This author's note is getting too long.**

 **Gray: *groans* no kidding. Can I just go now?**

 **Mira: silly! we still have 1080 days left to do!**

 **Gray: ...*dies***

 **Um anyway... hope you enjoyed the chappie, bye-bye now! :3 see you tomorroooowwww...**


	16. But She Didn't

**I would like to celebrate over 100 reviews! Squeeeeeeee!**

 **Mira: Someone's excited. :3**

 **Gray: Can we get on with this already?**

 **Day Sixteen**

 **But She Didn't**

It was the seven of them, out on a job. All of Team Natsu, cats included.

It was supposed to be fun. It was supposed to be easy. And the job, itself, was.

But then the dark guild showed up, and from there, everything went downhill.

That man had Lucy.

She was crying.

Oh, Mavis - he had a knife -

There was blood -

She screamed -

And Natsu screamed -

And then there she was, on the ground. Blood bubbling in her throat, soaking her clothes. Natsu pulled her closer, holding her, tears dripping onto her face from his.

"N-Natsu..." she choked out. "I-I..."

"No," Natsu said hoarsely. "N-No - Luce - Lucy, you'll be okay..." He lifted her limp body in his arms, and was sickened to see blood dripping onto the ground in a dark red puddle.

"You'll be okay, Luce - you'll be okay," he hissed under his breath, pulling her closer to him, breathing in her sweet scent.

* * *

 _He remembered the first time he ever broke into her house._

 _He thought she'd just kick him out, right then and there, and stop speaking to him._

 _ **But she didn't.** _

_Lucy accepted him, though grudgingly, and told him about her keys, and talked incessantly, and maybe she wasn't the nicest about it, but she let him stay._

* * *

She tried to speak, but he put a finger to her lips. "Don't talk. I need - I need to get you to Wendy."

She gave him a weak smile, as if trying to reassure him that everything was alright.

Like hell it was. She was freaking _dying_ in front of him.

* * *

 _He remembered the time he was sick and had to stay home in bed all day._

 _When he didn't show up to the guild, Lucy came, asking why. When she saw he was sick, he expected her to leave, muttering about germs and how contagious he must be._

 _ **But she didn't.** _

_Lucy stayed by his bedside most of the day, made him food, talked to him - she even read to him! And Natsu saw a side of her he didn't often see: the caring, sweet, almost motherly side of her._

 _Was that when he realized how in love he was? Maybe._

* * *

"Natsu!"

He looked up. There was Erza, racing toward them, sword still in hand. She saw Lucy in his arms, her clothes soaked with blood, and froze.

"No..."

"G-get Wendy," Natsu choked out. "You have to get Wendy! Lucy - she's gonna - she'll _die!"_

* * *

 _He remembered the time he almost kissed her._

 _Mavis, was that embarrassing. He thought she'd run away screaming, or tell him how that would be the grossest thing in the world, or hate him forevermore._

 _ **But she didn't.** _

_"It wouldn't be the end of the world," he'd said. And she had agreed with him. And even though she made him kiss Happy instead, in the end, he knew she almost wanted to. Just like he did._

 _Maybe, he thought, he'd get a chance to do it for real... one day._

* * *

"Natsu, Erza!"

Natsu looked up. It was Charle's voice. She was flying with Wendy, and Happy was beside her.

"Wendy!" Natsu cried. "Y-you have to heal her - Lucy was stabbed, she... please!"

In an instant, the three were at Lucy's side.

"L-Lucy..." Happy choked out, tears in his big eyes.

* * *

 _He remembered that morning, when they'd picked up the job request._

 _He was sure they'd all come back, safe and sound, with money in their pockets and smiles on their faces. And Lucy would come home with them, at Natsu's side, smiling brightly and laughing at something stupid he said._

* * *

"You guys! We defeated them all! Where's..." Gray gasped upon seeing Lucy, bloody on the ground.

Wendy was crying. "I-I'm sorry... I can't... she lost t-too much blood, she's already... gone..."

But the thing that shocked Gray the most were the tears on Natsu's face.

Because Natsu never cried.

Even when they thought Lisanna had died, he hadn't cried - only made a promise to find her again. His heart healed eventually, and Lisanna was even back with them now.

But Gray couldn't help but wonder if Natsu could ever heal from this.

Because they had all thought that, at the end of the day, Lucy would be fine. She'd come home with all of them, laughing and smiling.

* * *

 _ **But she didn't.** _

* * *

**Okay, there.**

 **Mira: You... evil... ship-destroying... WITCH!**

 **Oh be quiet. There's still 1079 more days left for me to NOT kill Lucy or Natsu.**

 **Gray: ...**

 **Anywho, hope you enjoyed! Have a great Day 16, folks, and see ya tomorrow! HOORAY AGAIN FOR OVER 100 REVIEWS! This is ChocoChipKitty, signing off!**

 **Mira: First time it's ended like that, eh?**

 **Gray: ...**


	17. Natsu and the Pyromaniac Shark

**I do NOT want to do ANY writing today.**

 **Gray: Too bad for you.**

 **Mira: *cheerful grin* Yep! Toooooooooooo bad! *shoves Choco to the computer***

 ***is shoved to the computer* Guuyyyyyyyyys... *pouts* fine... *starts to type***

 **Day Seventeen**

 **Natsu and the Pyromaniac Shark**

Gray and Natsu had a name-calling contest.

Gray was bored, Natsu was bored, the guild was bored, and thus a name-calling contest followed. Everyone was sure it would turn into a brawl of some sort.

Well, it didn't.

So they called each other names that I won't list because they were shouting them at the speed of light. My ears and my pen couldn't keep up. So, no list. But this is what I think they said:

"Ice princess!"

"Flames-for-brains!"

"Popsicle head!"

"Campfire breath!"

"I LIKE my campfire breath, Mr. Snowflake!"

"Whatever, you - you pyromaniac shark!"

Lucy, frustrated by all the noise, cut in, "Gray, pyromaniac isn't a WORD."

"I just made it one," he snapped back. "Pyro plus maniac, pyro meaning fire."

"I KNOW what it means," Natsu replied venomously. "And... of course I'm like a pyromaniac shark! I knew that already, idiot! That's why I got one for Lucy as a birthday present." He grinned and held up a live shark with flaming hair. "To remind her of me!"

Lucy screamed and dived under the table. "You MORON!" she screamed. "WHY IN MAVIS'S NAME WOULD I WANT THAT THING?!"

"I told you," Natsu said with a grin. "To remind you of me. It's on fire, it has pointy teeth, and it likes food!"

"Natsu," Gray said, exasperated. "It has to be pink, too."

"Oh, I thought of that already," he responded nonchalantly, holding up a can of pink spray paint.

"DUCK!" Lucy shrieked, cowering in her spot under the table. Everybody did, except Gray, who sat there stupidly. He got covered in pink paint, along with basically everything in the guild.

EXCEPT the shark.

"Whoops, I missed," Natsu said with a frown. "Better try again..."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" the guild screamed, leaping up to try and tackle him and get the paint away from him. Lucy stayed under the table.

Too late, though.

Everyone, except Lucy, got covered in pink spray paint this time.

Oh - and the shark?

Yeah, it still wasn't pink _this_ time, either. Natsu really needed to work on his aim.

... ... ...

 **Mira: ...**

 **Gray: ...**

 **Mira: ...WHAT...**

 **Gray: ...the ACTUAL HECK...**

 **Mira: ...was THAT?!**

 **...don't... even... ask. I honestly haven't a clue. It just... happened.**

 **Mira: It was ridiculous.**

 ***sigh* Agreed...**

 **Gray: Uh, so... when you said "I don't want to write," you really meant, "I actually just want to write crack"?**

 **Basically, I guess. Um... see you guys tomorrow? XD**


	18. Sleeptalk

**This one's a short one, but I think you'll like it a lot. :D**

 **Day Eighteen**

 **Sleeptalk**

Natsu was asleep.

Lucy didn't know how he managed it, but that guy was able to fall asleep anywhere - and in a matter of seconds, at that! They had just returned from a job when he sat himself down across from Lucy, plunked his head in his arms, and fell asleep. Just like that.

She leaned closer, peering at his face, which was half hidden in his muscular arms. Was he just pretending? Carefully, she reached out and lightly poked his cheek.

Natsu's hand reached out to grab hers, and she gave an _eep!_ of surprise.

"What's wrong?" Erza asked, hurrying over.

"O-oh, it's n-nothing, just... Natsu..." Lucy gestured to his hand, which showed no signs of letting go of her wrist.

"Oh," Erza sighed. "He used to do things like that in his sleep when we were kids. He sleeptalked, too. I thought he'd grown out of it, though..." She raised an eyebrow.

"Oh - um - okay," Lucy said quietly. "He just caught me by surprise, is all."

Erza laughed. "You should have seen Lisanna the first time we camped together. He grabbed her and shook her and woke her up, all while sleeping. She screamed loud enough to wake the dead."

Lucy gave a hum of understanding. "I can see that happening."

Erza smiled. "Yeah. But you might want to wake him up, or he might not let go - "

She was cut off by Natsu, who had started to mutter something. "L-Lucy..."

The blond's eyes widened.

"Lucy... I... oh, kiss me again..." Natsu was louder now, and some people started to look over.

Lucy started turning red. "Wh-what...?!" she hissed. "Natsu!" she slapped him with the hand he hadn't grabbed, to no avail. "Hey! Wake up!"

"Yeaaaahhhh... marry me, Luce..."

Gray started laughing, and Lucy turned on him. "STOP LAUGHING!" He only laughed harder. "LUCY KIIIIICCCCK!"

The ice mage groaned and picked himself up off the ground. "Fine, fine, I'll stop..."

"Uh huh... I do," Natsu was saying now. He puckered his lips up and pulled Lucy by the wrist, making sloppy kissing noises, and Lucy screamed. "Shut up! Natsu! L-let me go! NATSU, GET YOUR SORRY BUTT UP THIS INSTANT BEFORE I KICK YOU!"

"I loooooooooove you, Lucyyyyyyyy..." Natsu moaned. "Kiss me more..."

"NO!" Lucy yelled, trying to wrench her hand free. The guild was now in a fit of laughter. "NATSU! GET UP **_RIGHT NOW!"_**

Natsu suddenly sat upright, blinking.

"Oh, hey Luce," he said casually. "Funny dream I had."

"Oh, really?" she seethed, her face dark red. Was she... steaming? "And what was it about, Natsu?" she asked in a falsely sweet tone.

"Oh," he said with a shrug. "I don't really remember. It was really nice, though."

And he let go of Lucy's hand, walking out of the guild nonchalantly.

"...NATSU DRAGNEEL YOU GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!"

 **... ... ...**

 **Mira and Gray and me: *laughing our heads off***

 **Oh, that one was TONS of fun. By the way, that was a request from . :3**

 **Mira: Seeeeeeeeeeee you next time! *waves***

 **Gray: *still laughing* Oh boy... too good... Mira, I hope you got that on video... *laughing***


	19. Her First

**Oi, guess what? Last chapter alone got 13 reviews! :D I think that's a new record for me! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH, I LOVE YOU!**

 **Moving on...**

 **AAAAAHHH I am so crunched for time, I have like 10 minutes! I don't have time to do Facebook Insanity pt3 like I planned so I'm just gonna crank something out real quick. =.= Ugghhhhhh why can't I just freeze time and write forever?**

 **Gray: Because that's physically impossible?**

 **Oh, shut up.**

 **Mira: By the way, guys, this one's from Natsu's POV, just to let you know! ;D**

 **Day Nineteen**

 **Her First**

The kiss felt so good, it was hard to believe it was her first.

I mean, not that I knew anything about kissing in the first place, considering it was my first, too. But it sure felt amazing. It felt like she'd been practicing a lot - but she had informed me often that she'd never kissed a guy before and wasn't sure she ever wanted to. For all the dates she went on, that much was hard to believe.

Which led me to the question of _why._ Why the _heck_ was she _kissing_ me, when a mere two days ago she'd told me she had _no interest_ in it?!

 _Lucy, you weirdo_ , I thought to myself, and I realized I was smiling against her lips. Which felt kinda weird. So I stopped.

Her hands were tangled in my hair, and I had to admit, that felt good. My own hands were wrapped around her waist, and I pulled her closer to me.

We both came back up gasping for air.

"Natsu," she breathed out, her eyes shining. She didn't say anything else. She didn't _need_ to. I knew what she wanted.

"So," I said nonchalantly, drawing it out a bit. "How was your first kiss?"

"I-It was kind of amazing," she murmured, blushing. She pulled her hands out of my hair and pressed them against my chest. My skin tingled as soon as she touched me, and I grinned.

"So, ready for your second?"

She blushed even more, but this was _Lucy_ \- I mean, she's so prone to blushing,it could almost be considered a _hobby_ for her. "Yeah," she said happily. "That sounds nice."

I laughed, pulling her in close, and locking lips with her again.

 _I could get used to this_ , I thought, reveling in her delicious scent and feeling her practically melt into my arms. _Yeah, I could_ definitely _get used to this..._

The second kiss was amazing, too. And the third, and the fourth, and all the other kisses we had over the course of our lives. But to this day, I'll always know which kiss was the best.

Her first.

 _My_ first.

Because the moment her lips touched mine in our first kiss was the moment I knew, without any doubt, that she was _the one._

 **... ... ...**

 **Gray: *throwing up in the corner***

 **Mira: *squealing loud enough to wake the dead***

 **Me: *waving goodbye through the screen to all my lovely readers* See ya tomorrow! Hope you enjoyed! And a random question to all my lovely reviewers, for no reason at all - what's your favorite flavor of cake?**

 **Erza: STRAWBERRY!**

 **Erza, you aren't supposed to be here. *pushes Erza away* I LIKE CHOCOLATE WITH COOKIES'N'CREAM ICE CREAM IN THE MIDDLE! :D**


	20. Facebook Insanity, PART THREE

**Mira: Time for some fuuuuuuuuuuun! *evil grin***

 **Gray and me: *nervously inches away***

 **Day Twenty**

 **Facebook Insanity, PART THREE**

"Natsu? Why are you checking your phone? Who's texting you?"

"U-um, nobody..." Natsu said nervously. "Heh..."

Lucy's eyes narrowed, and she grabbed Natsu's phone away. "Hey!" he yelped, snatching it back, but not before she saw what the screen said.

"Facebook," Lucy muttered. "Natsu, you aren't trying any more funny business, are you?"

Natsu sweatdropped. "Wh-what? No, of course not!"

Lucy glared. "You _better_ not be."

She went to check her phone, but realized she didn't have it. "I must have left it back at the guild," she said with a small sigh. "Whatever, let's just get on the train so we can do the job."

Natsu looked a little green at the thought, but nodded. "Yeah. It's not too long of a ride, is it?"

Lucy beamed at him. "Oh, only four hours!"

Natsu groaned. "Let's just get it over with..."

He risked a glance back at his phone and stiffened. Jeez! Mirajane's post had over a million likes by now! Lucy was going to kill that woman! Natsu shuddered at the thought of the battle that would ensue. Normally, Lucy wouldn't have been a match for Mira, but when that blond was mad...

 **Lucy Heartfilia: OMG NATSU JUST KISSED ME 4 REAL!**

 **Happy is a Cat, Levy McGarden, and 1,234,567 others like this.**

 **Comments:**

 **Cana Alberona: HA! About time, Natsu!**

 **Levy McGarden: *screaming high-pitched noises***

 **Happy is a Cat: I can't believe he worked up the courage!**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: Oh, it was so amazing... :)**

Even though he couldn't be COMPLETELY sure, Natsu was almost positive it was Mira's doing, mostly because of the fact that Mira wasn't one of the first to like, and she didn't comment. Either way it wasn't Lucy. He should probably just ignore it. But then...

Lucy had said it was "so amazing..."

Well, technically not Lucy. But Mira had under Lucy's name. Did Lucy _actually_ think kissing Natsu would feel amazing?

Would _he_ like it, too?

"Natsu?" Lucy asked curiously. "Hey... are you blushing?"

"Um," he said with a nervous laugh. "Am I?"

Lucy gave him a suspicious glare. "Do _you_ happen to know where my phone is, _Natsu?"_ she asked in a dangerous tone.

"Wh-what?" he squeaked. _"No!_ No, o-of course not!"

Lucy scowled, but turned away from him. "We're almost to the station. C'mon!" And she broke into a run.

Natsu didn't chase after her right away. Instead, he was left thinking. _What if I did kiss Lucy? Then it wouldn't be a lie on Facebook... and maybe it really would feel nice?_

 _But... no! Kissing is GROSS!_

 _...but maybe..._

If Mirajane had said it was so amazing, that meant Mira must know what kissing was like. Maybe it wasn't just gross, after all. Maybe there was more to it.

"Natsu! You coming or not?"

Natsu shook his head to clear the uncertain thoughts. He couldn't kiss Lucy, no way! "Sure, I'm comin'!" he called back to his blond friend, grinning that wide, toothy grin of his. "I just thought I'd give ya a head start 'cause I'm so much faster than ya!" He broke into a run, catching up to her easily.

"Oh yeah?" Lucy taunted, putting on a burst of speed. "Can't catch me!"

"We'll see about that," Natsu replied with a laugh, quickly catching her again.

They continued like that until they reached the station, panting and smiling and giggling.

 _She looks really good..._ Natsu realized with a start as he looked Lucy up and down. His gaze paused on her lips _. I wonder... maybe I should..._

 _NO!_

Natsu gritted his teeth, trying to push those thoughts back from his mind. He pulled out his phone and checked again.

 **Lucy Heartfilia: Ohmygosh, he asked me out. NATSU FREAKING ASKED ME OUT.**

 **Levy McGarden, Cana Alberona, and 7,654,321 others like this.**

 **Comments:**

 **Happy is a Cat: He liiiiiiiiiiiiikes you!**

 **Cana Alberona: Well duh. If he asked her out, he obviously likes her.**

Natsu felt a blush creeping up his cheeks.

 _Did_ he like Lucy _that way?!_

 **Levy McGarden: You said yes right?! OMG**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: of course I did! Gosh I never knew he could be so romantic! :D**

Natsu's face felt like it was on fire (which was a very real possibility). Romantic?! Him?! He was a DRAGONSLAYER for Mavis's sake! DRAGONSLAYERS WERE NOT ROMANTIC. THEY WERE NOT. EVER. NEVER.

But then again...

Sting was kind of romantic with Yukino sometimes, wasn't he...?

And Gajeel... well, Gajeel's affections for Levy were obvious...

But did dragonslayers kiss people?! No... of course they didn't... of course they didn't!

But what if...?

Natsu groaned and banged his head against the wall of the station.

"Natsu?" Lucy said, blinking. "Um... what are you doing?"

He continued to bang his head on the wall, not bothering to answer her.

 _Stupid. Complicated. Lovey. Dovey. Sappy. Thoughts. Go. AWAY!_

Why the _heck_ did life have to be so _complicated?!_

"Hey Lucy?" Natsu asked suddenly, pausing in his head-banging for a moment.

"Um... yeah?" she replied nervously.

"Do you think it would feel nice to kiss me?"

Instantly, Lucy's face turned bright red. "Wh-wh... what?" she sputtered. _"WHAT?!"_

"You're cute when you're flustered," he mumbled without meaning to.

"N-Natsu!" Lucy cried out, her face even deeper red than before. "A-are you feeling alright?!"

"Maybe not," the pink-haired boy groaned, and proceeded to continue banging his head against the wall.

 **... ... ...**

 **Gray: *laughing* NATSU, YOU IDIOT.**

 **I agree, Natsu's an idiot. But a cute idiot!**

 **Mira: Hmm... chocolate... vanilla... white... marble... caramel... German chocolate... chocolate with strawberries on top... *drooling at the thought of everybody's favorite cake***

 **Gray: Caaaake...**

 **Caaaaake...**

 **Mira: Caaaaake...**

 **Erza: Caaaaaake...**

 **...do you plan on staying here or something?**

 **Erza: *sparkles in eyes* Oh, yes! For all eternity! To eat CAKE!**

 **O-kaaayyy... anyway... guys, I've put up a story called "What Makes Us," and I'd love it if you all went to check it out! I plan on it being a long one! Well, not as long as this, obviously, but pretty long. So I hope you go read it, 'cause I'm gonna have lotsa fun with it! :D**

 **Mira: Matchmaker, out!**

 **Gray: Ice Princess, out!**

 **Erza: Titania, out!**

 **ChocoChipKitty, OUT!**

 **(that was so cool... -3- Like a boss!)**


	21. He Was There

**Day Twenty-One (9 + 10, eh?)**

 **He Was There**

Lucy didn't know what to think.

She was standing in front of the huge cliff, her mind whirling, a sickening twisting feeling in her stomach.

She could hardly feel. Her mind was numb. Her hands wouldn't stop shaking. Her whole body was cold.

"Natsu," she whispered, horrified, her voice trembling.

She dropped to her knees, staring down the cliff face, then turning to gaze back at the spot where he had been standing moments before. Before that man had aimed a dagger at Lucy's heart from behind her. Before Natsu had seen it, reacted immediately, and tackled the man to the ground, saving Lucy's life.

Before the ground had crumbled beneath them both, giving way to the cliff below, and Natsu and the man had tumbled deep into the abyss.

He was gone.

The thought hit her like a ton of bricks. _Natsu was gone._

"No," she murmured, tears forming in her eyes. "Please no..."

She stared down into the void - she couldn't even see the bottom, but maybe was a good thing. If she could see the bottom, that would've meant...

Lucy let out a choked sob as she realized what it would have meant. It would have meant seeing Natsu's broken body lying there.

That was a sight she knew she'd never be able to handle.

More sobs racked Lucy's body. Natsu had just _died_ to save _her_ life. That meant it was because of her that he was gone. And Lucy knew in her heart that she would have given anything to have taken that knife, if only so that Natsu wouldn't have ended up down that cliff. Maybe she should have been grateful to be alive, but...

How was she even going to live without Natsu there?

"You idiot," she whispered to the air. She hoped he could hear her - wherever he was now. "You _idiot!_ Y-you should've just let me take that knife! You weren't supposed to _die!_ Why couldn't it have been me instead, huh? Why'd you have to go and _leave me_ like that?!"

She stayed there for who knows how long - just crying, sobbing, and repeating herself over and over. She should have died. Not him. That idiot...

"Aw, Luce..."

Lucy froze up instantly.

"Stop cryin'. I'm here. I'm right here. I'm okay."

A pair of strong arms wrapped around her from behind. Lucy hardly dared to believe it.

"N-Natsu...?"

"The one and only," he laughed.

"H-how did you - ?"

She could feel him shrug. "Caught hold of the cliff face and climbed my way up. Took forever. To be honest, for a moment there I wasn't sure I was gonna make it." He laughed again, and Lucy's shoulders tensed.

"Don't laugh," she said sharply, her voice still choked with tears. "You - you almost died, Natsu! Because of me! You should have just let me take that knife, I - "

Immediately, Natsu tensed up. He grabbed her by the shoulders, spinning her around to face him. The look in his face was dead serious.

"No," he said harshly. "Don't you _dare_ say that, Lucy. Your death will _never_ be worth me staying alive, do you hear me? _Never."_

"Wh-what?"

"Lucy, you are my _whole world._ Don't you see that? If you died, I - I wouldn't have anything left to live for." His voice was so broken, Lucy found herself relenting.

"Okay," she murmured. "Okay. But... but remember, you're my whole world, too, okay? Please... Please don't ever scare me like that again..."

He chuckled softly. "You got it, Luce."

And then suddenly she was sobbing harder than ever, burying her face into him, because he was _there._ He was _there,_ and he was _alive,_ and they were both pretty much okay.

And that was all that mattered right then.

... ... ...

 **Ooo, did I scare you guys? Thought I killed him again, didn'tcha? ;D**

 **Mira: YES.**

 **Gray: YES.**

 **Well, I didn't. :P I'm such a troll.**

 **Mira: Well, no. Not really. I'm not sure that qualifies as trolling.**

 **Gray: I have to agree with Mira.**

 **Oh, shut up... anyway, guys, if you haven't already, go check out What Makes Us, my relatively new fanfiction! You might like it! :D It doesn't update as often as this one (I quite honestly would NEVER manage that) but I've decided to have a schedule of Wednesday/Saturday updates, and that means I'm updating in about an hour! ;) So I hope you read that.**

 **See you tomorrow! :3**


	22. Fluff of Both Kinds

**AHHHH I AM SO SORRY. THE FIRST TIME THIS CHAPTER WAS OUT IT WAS SCREWED UP! The formatting was gone and replaced by coding for the the formatting! It took me like 10 minutes to go through it all! D:**

 **Anyway... here's the fixed chapter...**

 **Day Twenty-Two**

 **Fluff of Both Kinds**

Lucy was in the middle of a fight with Natsu. It wasn't a real battle, of course, but a friendly spar between them, and Lucy was pleased to say that she was doing pretty well. With a grin, Lucy told Loke he could come back...

...only to switch out for Aries.

"Alright, Aries, you can do this!" Lucy called, grinning.

"I'm sorry!" Aries cried out as she trapped Natsu inside a wool bomb. He gave several cries of protest, but Lucy just smirked.

"We've been working on this technique for awhile," she said happily. "The fluffy wool nullifies your magic, trapping you inside it and not letting you use your power!" Natsu groaned, and Lucy laughed.

"You're stuck, Flames-for-Brains," she taunted, using Gray's favorite insult. "You look like cotton candy with a face. And you aren't getting out!"

"Nooooooooo," Natsu moaned. "Okay... okay, fine... I give up. You win."

"Yay!" Lucy squealed. "Okay, Aries, you can go back if you want."

"R-right... I'm sorry," the spirit stammered nervously, before disappearing in a flash of light. But the wool stayed, trapping Natsu.

"STUPID FLUFF!" the pink-haired dragonslayer yelled, struggling against the horrible stuff. "LUCY! I can barely MOVE! Make it go away!"

Lucy scowled. "No." Then she brightened considerably, adding, "buuuuuut... if you promise to give me something good in return, then maybe I will."

"Fine," he agreed. "I'll give you - "

"Wait!" the blond interrupted, frantically shaking her head. "No, it has to be something really good!" Seeing Natsu's scowl, she added, "or else you aren't coming out of there."

Natsu gritted his teeth. "Fine," he repeated, his voice tight. "What do you want? That new book from the library you saw? A new Key? A - "

Suddenly Natsu froze.

A smirk played across his lips, very uncharacteristic of him, but cute all the same.

"Natsu?" Lucy prompted.

"Let me out," Natsu said slowly. "I promise I've got something good for ya, but you've gotta let me out first."

"Fine," Lucy sighed. Her voice suddenly took on a frightening tone of warning. "But if you're tricking me..."

Natsu gulped and nodded quickly - or tried to. It was still kinda hard to move with this stupid fluffy wool.

Lucy sighed, calling out Aries. "You can take back the wool now. Thank you." She smiled warmly at the spirit.

Aries nodded, vanishing in a flash of light once more, but taking the wool with her this time. "I'm sorry!" she called, but her voice quickly faded.

Lucy turned toward Natsu.

"Okay," she said. "What did y- _mmph!"_

And then suddenly, out of the blue, Natsu was kissing her.

After several moments, he pulled back, grinning triumphantly. "Good enough?" he asked cheekily. When Lucy didn't reply, to stunned to even make sense of what happened, he just shrugged and walked off. "Okay. See ya, Luce!"

Lucy just stayed there, trying to form coherent thoughts - let alone _sentences_ \- and failing miserably.

 _What just - I don't - what - did he - hold on, am I in lo- ?!_

"No," Lucy muttered. "I am _not_ in love with him, I swear to Mavis..."

Suddenly letting out what sounded like a mix between a scream of terror and a squeal of delight, Lucy raced off to her apartment.

And Mirajane chose that moment to step out of the bushes, camera clutched tightly in one hand, a brilliant, though devious smile spread across her features.

"Ooh, that was too good," she chuckled. _"Tooooooo_ good..."

 **... ... ...**

 **Sooooo... I think these chapters have been getting shorter. :/**

 **Mira: Yeah.**

 **Which is why I'm rewarding you all with a BIG one tomorrow! :D**

 **Gray: *snorts* yay, more stupid gushy stuff about idiot and his girlfriend. Can't wait.**

 **Oh, shut up.**


	23. The Water Park

**Welcome to Day Twenty-Three! Enjoy, 'cause it's exactly 2018 words. *smug smile***

 **Mira: I'm excited. Any kissing in this one? Any... heheheh.. *waggles eyebrows***

 **Gray: Mira... do me a favor and DO NOT finish that sentence...**

 ***sweatdrops* Guys...**

 ***coughs* Uhhh, hehe, on with the chapter...? Also, sorry about the painfully unoriginal title... Anyway... hope y'all like it! :D**

 **Day Twenty-Three**

 **The Water Park**

Destiny Island Adventure Park was decidedly the best water park she'd ever been to.

Lucy knew this for a fact as she gazed out over the roller coasters, the huge tube slides, the lazy river... she was fairly certain she wanted to do everything first.

Her guildmates seemed to feel the same way.

As they walked through the park, Wendy gasped at everything, Levy giggled with excitement, Gray couldn't stop looking back and forth from one thing to another to another, Juvia was probably in heaven, Laxus was trying (and failing) to hide an grin full of nothing but childish excitement...

Because, at that moment, childish excitement was felt throughout the entire guild. This was to be their getaway for the summer: an entire week of staying at a hotel right across the street from the best and biggest water park in Fiore. Honestly, what could be better than that?

"I can't believe it!" Wendy cried, gasping again at another ride. "Oh my gosh, that one looks so awesome! I want to do that!" She turned to Lucy, stars in her eyes, a bright smile on her face. "Oh, I can't believe we're all here together! This is going to be so amazing!"

Lucy laughed. "Oh, you bet it will!"

Natsu was grinning in excitement. "This is gonna be the best week EVER! I'm all fired up!" he cried out.

"Natsu, you do know that water _puts out_ fire, right?" Lucy said, raising an eyebrow.

Natsu scowled. "Leave your logic out of this, Luce. You'll ruin the awesomeness!"

Rolling her eyes and laughing, Lucy turned back to Wendy. She gave the younger girl's hand a happy squeeze.

"Natsu's right about one thing," the blond said happily. "This is going to be the best week ever!"

... ... ...

Once they were done checking out the park, everyone headed to the hotel to claim their rooms.

Of course, naturally, the guild took up pretty much the entire hotel - even when they shared rooms.

Lucy and Levy were sharing a room, to nobody's surprise except Natsu.

"Hey," the dragonslayer had complained, crossing his arms. "What about me?"

"You can share with Happy," she dismissed.

"I'll still be lonely! It's always Happy and I, anyway!"

"What about Gr - "

"I AM NOT SHARING A FREAKING ROOM WITH THAT SNOWFLAKE!"

"Okay, okay!" Lucy said, sighing. "Seriously, if you so badly wanna share a room with someone, there's gotta be somebody..."

"No, no, you don't get it!" Natsu had replied impatiently. "I want to share a room with _you,_ not just anybody."

Lucy had flushed at this. "Wh-what are you talking about?! Natsu, I'm a girl! You're guy! We can't share a room!"

Natsu pouted. "Fine, whatever..."

So anyway, Lucy had a room with Levy. It was pretty nice - two bedrooms with crisp, clean white sheets and beautiful blue-and-gold blankets and pillows; a small but well-stocked bathroom; brightly colored drapes with seashell patterns; a gorgeous painting of a beach scene hung on the wall; and two huge mirrors.

"Oh, it's perfect!" Levy had cried. "This is great! Isn't it, Lu-chan?"

Lucy nodded, flushed with excitement. "You bet it is." She turned to the window, where they had a clear view of Destiny Park in all its glory. The blond grinned. "Okay, let's get our swimsuits on and head to the park!"

... ... ...

They entered the park once more, along with Natsu, Happy, Gajeel, and Pantherlily, at around three o'clock.

"Okay," Lucy said slowly. "So... where do you guys want to go first?"

"The swirly, fast water thing!" Natsu said immediately.

"Um..." Lucy sweat-dropped. "Huh?"

"You know," he said, frustrated. "The one where you get in the raft thingy and it carries you down a big slide with tons of water crashing all around!"

Lucy bit her lip. "The... rapids?"

"THAT'S IT!" the dragonslayer cried out, punching the air with his fist and grinning. "We're going there first!"

"But your motion sickness," Lucy protested.

"Aw, come on. Water slides and fun rides aren't transportation!" And he grabbed Lucy's hand and dragged her along behind him, charging toward the ride in question.

Happy gave the others a helpless shrug. "You can come with us, I guess, or go somewhere else. There's no way you can change his mind..."

"Well, the rapids _do_ sound fun," Levy mused.

Gajeel grinned. "Gihihi. Let's go, Shrimp." And he picked her up, bridal style, and carried her off towards the rapids.

"H-Hey!" Levy protested, a blush rising on her face. "What are you - "

"You liiiiiiiiiike each other," Happy giggled.

"Shut up, cat," Gajeel said gruffly, flashing the blue Exceed a dark look.

"Eep!" Happy cried, rushing after Natsu and Lucy.

Pantherlily watched the scene unfold before him with quiet amusement.

"G-Gajeel!" Levy continued to protest, weakly beating her small fists against his chest. "Let me go - I can walk!"

"Well, sure," the iron dragonslayer said with a shrug. "But can ya keep up with me?" And with that, he took off running at a pace Levy was certain she wouldn't be able to keep up with. And, despite herself, she found herself laughing a little.

"What's so funny, Shrimp?" Gajeel asked with a scowl.

"Not sure," the girl replied with a giggle. "But this is fun."

He grinned. "Gihi. Good."

... ... ...

"Lucy! Hey, c'mere!"

Lucy glanced over at where Natsu was standing, beside the ice cream stall. "Let's get some!"

The blond sighed. "I can't, Natsu. I'm holding our place in line."

The boy pouted. "Aw, come on..."

"Nope," she replied firmly. "I've waited for fifteen minutes while you pranced around and we're nearly at the front now! I am so not getting out of line for an ice cream cone!"

Natsu sighed and joined her in the line, dropping one arm around her shoulders. "Alright, Luce. Whatever you say."

She blushed a little at his touch, especially considering the fact that they were both in their swimsuits, and quickly turned her face away so he couldn't see the red creeping across her cheeks.

"Somethin' wrong, Luce?"

"N-no," she replied quickly, glancing up at him and flashing a smile. "I'm fine! Just... a little hot, I think."

Natsu blinked, registering her words, and immediately pulled his arm back. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said quietly. "Didnt realize you didn't like that..."

"What?" Lucy replied, taken aback. "No! Of course - of course I like it, Natsu! I..." She blushed more. "I, um... I really love it when you do that, actually..."

Natsu stared for a moment.

What was this weird, flattery, strange, and yet somehow pleasant feeling in his gut?

He shrugged it off, though, and flashed her a wide, toothy smile. "Alright, then," he said happily, reaching out with both arms and pulling her closer to him in an embrace. "How's this? You like that too?"

She couldn't tell if he was teasing her, but whatever the case, Lucy found she couldn't protest.

Because she did honestly love the feeling of his skin against hers, and the warmth and fondness she felt when he hugged her...

After a moment, though, Lucy realized they were in public and quickly pushed him back, her face feeling like it was on fire. "O-Okay, well, um, enough of that," she said hastily. "Look! We're next in line for the ride..."

Excitement immediately overwhelmed whatever other feelings Natsu might have a had at the moment, and he grinned, pumping the air with his fist. "Alright! This is the best ride _ever!"_ he crowed.

Lucy laughed. "You haven't even ridden it yet."

Natsu smirked. "Well, I did once, awhile ago..."

There was something about the look on his face that made Lucy pause.

Was that... an evil glint in his eye...?

Lucy bit her lip. What was that idiot planning this time?

Before she could ask aloud, though, she was tapped on the shoulder by a lifeguard. "Miss, your turn. And... he's with you, right?" she asked, pointing to Natsu.

"Right," Lucy agreed. "We'll need two inner tubes. We're going together."

The lifeguard blinked. "Oh. I'm sorry, miss, but if you go together you have to ride in the same inner tube. Otherwise one of you has to go first."

Lucy blushed. "O-oh..." she stammered. Was this what Natsu had been smirking about?! Had he known about this and decided he wanted to ride it with her? "Well... alright..." She turned to Natsu. "Let's go, then!"

He grinned and stepped over to the inner tube. Lucy blushed again when she saw how small it was. How would they both fit?!

Her question was answered when Natsu lifted her, bridal style, and sat himself down in the tube. "Let's go!"

And suddenly, they were going down the slide, water churning around them and soaking them, and they were both screaming with laughter. Lucy wrapped her arms around Natsu's neck, and he grinned down at her.

And that was when he shocked her.

"I love you, Lucy," he said, and though she could barely make out his words above the sound of the water around them, she was fairly sure she had heard him right.

Without thinking, she pulled him closer, pressing her head to his chest, and replied, "I-I love you too!"

She felt him laugh, and her blush intensified. What kind of a confession was that? And... what did he mean, he loved her? Like... in the... romantic sort of way? Why did she say she loved him, too?! He wasn't her type! And she didn't like him like that! He was just...

Just...

Her favorite person in the entire world, pretty much.

The ride ended far too soon, and then they were standing at the bottom, soaked and a bit awkward.

Well, Lucy was awkward. She didn't think Natsu was.

What were they supposed to _do,_ now that they'd both confessed?

But her awkwardness vanished when Natsu dropped his arm back around her shoulders. Without bothering to wait for Levy and Gajeel to finish the ride, or for Happy to catch up to them from where he'd been eating at the fish stand nearby, he said cheerfully, "wanna go on another ride?"

Lucy blushed and nodded.

It was then that she knew.

Nothing had to change between them. He didn't have to be all romantic or kiss her or anything - not yet, at least. They could pretend the little confession on the slide had never happened, and it would be okay, because, Lucy realized, it had been there all along.

She was in love with Natsu Dragneel, and had been for awhile.

Lucy smiled and leaned into him as they walked, fingers intertwining with his.

He was her favorite person in the world, and so what they had now was okay. She was fine with it. They didn't need to rush things.

Lucy sighed happily.

Yeah... Natsu was right. He was definitely right. Because this was _definitely_ going to be the _best week ever._

... ... ...

 **So... I hope that was alright!**

 **Mira: Well, it was long.**

 **:D Yep! Longer than some of my others, at least.**

 **Gray: That was actually kind of nice...**

 **Ooh, Gray liked it! He liked NaLu! I ACTUALLY GOT GRAY TO APPRECIATE NALU! I HAVE ACHIEVED INFINITY!**

 **Mira: *cheers***

 **Gray: *groans***

 **Anyway, hope y'all enjoyed, and - EEP! It's only an hour until tomorrow! I better put this up quick!**


	24. If He Wasn't There

**I kind of want to cry right now. This site hates me and keeps ruining my docs and filling them with codes. ;-; Please forgive me... I fixed everything though... so sorry...**

 **Day Twenty-Four**

 **If He Wasn't There**

Natsu woke up one day and it just hit him.

The night before, they'd gone on a job, just him and Lucy and Happy. And... well, Lucy had almost died. He'd barely gotten there in time, but Natsu hadn't even stopped to think about what would have happened had he not been there. His mind was too focused on the fight in front of him, and the fact that Lucy was hurt and it was that jerk's fault.

After the job, they'd headed to Lucy's place, and Natsu had crashed on her bed. This morning, though, he woke up sleeping beside her, seeing her beautiful face so calm and content, and suddenly it hit him.

If he hadn't been there, _she would be dead._

The thought send a chill up Natsu's spine. Dead. As in, gone. Forever.

Natsu knew he'd never be able to live with himself if he wasn't there and she just never came home.

He thought of all the times he'd been there, just in the nick of time. All the times he'd caught her, or taken a hit for her, or in some way saved her life.

And he decided, right then and there, that he couldn't leave her side again. Because he needed to make sure he was always there.

Because, if any one of those times that Lucy nearly died, he wasn't there, he knew that she wouldn't be here right now.

Natsu could hardly handle that thought.

He reached out to gently brush some golden hair out of her face. He had to be there.

From now on, he knew he always had to be there.

... ... ...

 **Yikes, this was short! Sorry, guys... but I need to write a chapter for WMU and it's less than half done as it is, and so I wanted to get this outta the way kinda quickly.**

 **That said, I need to go work on it now. Bye! See ya tomorrow!**


	25. How He Didn't Leave

**Hi guys!**

 **The A/N at the bottom is very important so please make sure you read it.**

 **;)**

 **Day Twenty-Five**

 **How He Didn't Leave Her**

She gazed out over the guild.

It was loud, noisy, and cheerful as ever. But there was something different about it.

She knew what it was.

He had told her, the week before, that he was leaving. She almost didn't believe him at first. He had to go search for Igneel, he told her. And they both knew the words he left unspoken: that he might never come back.

It wasn't going to be an easy journey. It'd be dangerous. It'd be long. And it might never end. Natsu could go on searching for the rest of his life, and maybe he'd _never_ find Igneel. And there was always the chance that his journey might be cut short. Because who knew what horrors he'd encounter on such a quest?

She asked him to stay - she begged him.

 _You can't go!_

The face that he'd given her when she said that just about broke her heart.

 _I have to, Luce._

Now, she watched him prance around the guild, teasing Gray and punching Elfman. She watched him laugh, and found that she was crying.

How could he just _leave her_ like that?

Friends weren't supposed to leave friends.

 _Family_ wasn't supposed to leave _family._

And she knew, above all, that Natsu Dragneel was _not_ supposed to leave Lucy Heartfilia.

She had been the only one who'd known he was leaving, besides Happy. He was leaving in two days, and he still hadn't told his guildmates - because, she knew, he couldn't work up the courage.

The only reason _she_ knew he was leaving was because he couldn't work up the courage to _keep_ it from her.

So, right then and there, she made up her mind. She stood up and left the guild. She hurried home to her apartment and grabbed a suitcase, filling it with everything she needed.

Plenty of clothes. A few pairs of shoes. Lots of books. Her half-finished novel. Some basic toiletries. Stuff like that.

She hardly realized what she was doing. What was she _thinking?_ She couldn't just up and leave, too! Levy would be heartbroken, for one thing, and their teammates - well, the whole _guild_ would have a hard time with two of their nakama leaving at once.

But Lucy knew, in her heart, that she couldn't very well _stay_ either.

Not if _he_ was leaving.

Because there was no way she was letting him go alone.

She finished packing and forced the suitcase closed. _Two days._ He was leaving in two days. Well, that gave her two days to tell him she was coming along, whether he liked it or not - and two days to tell the guild the same thing.

She decided she'd tell them all as soon as _he_ told them all.

Except that didn't happen as she expected it to. He didn't tell them later that day, or the day before he left, and suddenly it was the morning of his departure and neither he nor she had told anyone, _anything._

She walked to the guild that morning with her head bowed low and her suitcase rolling along behind her. How was she going to tell them this? How were they going to take it?

She stepped in the doors of the guild and plunked herself down at a table - coincidentally, she found herself sitting across from _him._

Neither met the other's eyes. She found it almost amusing that he didn't notice the suitcase she'd brought along. Others seemed to see it, but most made no comment.

"Lu-chan?"

She looked up and found herself staring straight up into the eyes of Levy.

"Yeah, Levy-chan?" she replied, trying to sound nonchalant, but not doing such a great job of it.

"Lu-chan - why do you have that suitcase?"

She took a deep breath. _Here we go,_ she thought. _Time to spill it. Once and for all._

"Because I'm leaving."

Levy gave a squeak of surprise. "What?!"

But the blond didn't reply, only turned toward the pink-haired boy who was staring at her in utter shock.

 _"Luce_ \- what are you - "

"I'm going with you."

Realization dawned on him. He stared at her strangely, as if she'd grown another head.

She saw that look and almost panicked. What if he didn't _want_ her to come? Sure, she'd told herself she would go with him whether he liked it or not, but she never actually thought about the possibility that he might _really not want her_ to go with him.

But then, suddenly, he smiled.

And all her fears melted.

He held out a hand. "Well, if that's the case, then c'mon!"

She took his hand, squeezed it, and smiled so brightly, it could have lit up all of Magnolia. "O-okay!"

And that's the story of how Natsu Dragneel _didn't_ leave Lucy Heartfilia.

... ... ...

 **Oi! Hope you enjoyed!**

 **Okay, this is a VERY IMPORTANT author's note.**

 **I WILL NOT BE POSTING UPDATES ON TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, OR THURSDAY OF THIS WEEK.**

 **I'm sorry, but it's impossible. I'm being pulled on a family vacation to a place with no internet service. However, I WILL STILL KEEP UP WITH 1095 DAYS OF NALU! I will write a one-shot every day, however, I just won't be able to post it to the site. So rest assured, my three-years-straight challenge will not be interrupted. You simply won't be able to read the one-shots until Friday, when I come home and post them all. **

**Thank you all for your lovely patience. I _WILL_ post tomorrow, though - so see you then! ;D**


	26. The Hero

**Hi guys. I'm gonna be leaving in a couple hours, but I think I can manage to squeeze in today's chapter!**

 **Day Twenty-Six**

 **The Hero**

She didn't know what to do.

Lucy had never been the hero before. It had always been "Lucy's in trouble, Lucy needs rescued, Lucy is going to die if we don't save her butt in time."

Now, suddenly, everything was different. It was up to _her._ And she didn't have a clue what to do.

They had magic nullification ropes. They'd bound Natsu with them and chained him to the wall. One look was enough for Lucy to know that he wasn't getting out of there anytime soon.

 _Unless she rescued him._

Lucy was used to being the damsel in distress. She hated it, but that's what she was used to. And when she wasn't a damsel in distress, she was fighting by Natsu's side. Now she was stuck being the hero, all alone, while Natsu was tortured mercilessly.

She tried closing out the sounds of his screams. It didn't work.

Tears forming in her eyes, Lucy lifted her head, just slightly. They had beaten her into the ground, and she knew she was in bad shape, but they had also underestimated her. Sure, she'd been beaten up, but she sure as heck wasn't done yet.

Before she knew what she was doing, Lucy had charged.

Virgo's key was in one hand, her fleuve d'etoiles in the other. "Gate of the Maiden, I open thee! Virgo!"

And then they were fighting, side by side, cutting down everyone who came at them. Lucy didn't know what she was doing. She could hardly feel, she was so numb, and so she was hardly aware of the tears streaming down her face. The one thing that kept her going was the echoed sound of Natsu's tortured scream in her mind.

 _Have to save Natsu. I have to save him._

There was someone else coming at her now. She lashed out blindly with a cry of rage, but he nimbly dodged her whip - and then suddenly she was in his arms, his warm arms, his strong arms. He was holding her and she was sobbing into him, clutching him like a lifeline.

The ropes and chains had been cut - Virgo's work, no doubt. The pink-haired maiden walked up to them now.

"Thank you, Virgo," Lucy murmured with a smile. "Thank you so much."

"It was my pleasure, princess. Time for punishment?"

"No," Lucy said quietly. "You can go home now, if you want."

Virgo nodded respectfully before vanishing in a flash of light.

Lucy pressed into Natsu, holding him tight, showing no signs of ever letting go.

He was here. He was okay - well, mostly. She had saved him... she had...

She had...

She, Lucy Heartfilia, had actually _saved Natsu's life...?_

It was hard to believe, obviously. But then, at the same time, it wasn't. Lucy _knew_ she'd been getting stronger. She had trained herself harder with each day, knowing she needed to be strong, that she couldn't be the weak girl who had first joined the Fairy Tail guild.

"Thank you," she heard him murmur into her hair, his voice husky.

She smiled weakly up at him, and felt him brush one of her tears away with a thumb. "No problem, Natsu," she replied, hugging him more tightly, breathing in his unique scent. _Kind of like a campfire_ , she realized. She liked that smell.

"You know, you're good at being the hero," the pink-haired boy continued, absently fiddling with one of her pigtails.

She blushed. "Th-thanks."

They continued to hold each other like that for awhile, not saying anything more. They were both content to be there, both _happy._

Lucy felt her chest swell with pride and elation when she repeated what Natsu had said in her mind.

 _The hero._

For once in her life, Lucy had gotten to be the hero.

And she found she kind of liked it, too.

... ... ...

 **So, this was somewhat inspired by the song "Hero" by Skillet. Sorta.**

 **And also... I would like to thank ALL OF YOU, MY LOVELIES because guess what?! THIS STORY OFFICIALLY HAS 200+ REVIEWS! Omigosh - *fans self* - omigosh, it's amazing, it's so amazing! :D**

 **Okay, I'm running out of time. We're leaving pretty soon and I still have some last-minute packing and cleaning to do. See you guys on Friday!**


	27. Brave

**Happy Tuesday, folks! (Even if you're going to read this on Friday. XD)**

 **Ah, this one's just a little drabble. Not too long, but I hope you like it.**

 **On another note - the family vacation is going a little crazy. XD But it's fun anyway, and even though I can't currently update, it's worth the zero internet service.**

 **Mira: Really? You're letting down your readers though!**

 **Gray: Yeah, how can you say that, Kit?**

 **Aw, jeez. Are you two always against me?!**

 **Mira: No.**

 **Gray: Maybe.**

 **...whatever. Enjoy today's one-shot, guys, even if ya won't see it till Friday!**

 **Day Twenty-Seven**

 **Brave**

Lucy's life changed the day she met Natsu.

He brought her to Fairy Tail one day, to her new life, to her future. He brought her to friends that would soon become family; he brought her to a life she knew she could never leave behind.

The days passed quickly, one after another. The fact that she was a runaway never came up - and she was glad it didn't. She felt like a coward when she thought about it. She had told herself she had to do it, and that she was brave for doing it, too, but she couldn't help but feel like she really was just a coward.

What drove home the point, though, was that she hadn't even had the courage to speak to her father before she left.

So that was that. She was weak. She was a coward who couldn't even face her own father. She couldn't do anything.

But as those days passed, Lucy realized that Natsu had changed her life in more ways than one. She gained courage. She could fight for herself. Granted, she wasn't quite as powerful as some others were - and certainly not as strong as Natsu himself - but she didn't feel like a helpless little girl anymore.

She certainly didn't feel like the girl who'd run away without a word.

But then that changed. When Levy and Jet and Droy were nearly killed, when the guild was destroyed, when Phantom Lord attacked - that changed. Because Lucy found out that it was all her fault.

Because of the fact that she ran away, her guild was being torn apart. Because of her selfish cowardice.

But Natsu - he told her differently. Fairy Tail, he said, was her home to return to. It wasn't her fault the guild was being attacked. It was Phantom Lord who had done it. And it didn't matter if she had run away or not - Fairy Tail was her home now, she was one of them, and it would stay that way.

That was when Lucy realized how true it was, and how much Natsu had changed her life. She was one of them, not the person she used to be. She was a member of their family. They'd fight for her. They loved her.

Love.

That was something she hadn't felt in awhile.

So she had to be brave. She had to be strong. Cowardice - that wasn't an option anymore. Not for Lucy Heartfilia.

So, when all of the trouble with Phantom Lord was done and over with, Lucy knew what she had to do. She had to settle things once and for all.

She had to be brave.

So Lucy left. She went home.

She told her father exactly what she knew was true: she was not Lucky Lucy Heartfilia anymore, and she never would be. Not ever again. Because she was Lucy of Fairy Tail, the brave Lucy, the strong Lucy, the Lucy who had a real place to call home and a family who loved her.

And she liked it that way.

Lucy was glad, too. She was glad she had run away from home. She was glad she'd talked to her father about it. She was glad to be in Fairy Tail. She was glad to have a family who truly loved and cared about her.

And she was glad, above all, for the one day in Hargeon that changed her life: the day she met Natsu Dragneel.

Because that was the day she first started on the path to becoming truly brave.


	28. Dragons Never Cry

**Here we go, Day 28. I'm tired 'cause it's kinda late. But... hey, it's writing time, so yay!**

 **Mira: *yawn* let's just get on with it.**

 **Gray: Yup. Time for the daily dose of mushiness with Flame Brains and his girlfriend. Let's just get it over with.**

 **Wow, Gray... pessimistic much?**

 **Gray: Yeah, I kinda make a habit of it.**

 **Day Twenty-Eight**

 **Dragons Never Cry**

Nashi couldn't stop crying.

She wasn't supposed to cry - she knew that. Crying was for babies. And she wasn't a baby anymore. She was twelve years old!

And yet, she couldn't stop crying. The tears just came and wouldn't quit. Once she heard the news, she rushed out of the guild and to her house, where she lived with her parents. And once she had made it to the safe refuge that was her room, she gave up trying to hold them back.

She sobbed openly. Noisily. Nashi knew she was a mess, but she didn't honestly care. There was only one thing she cared about right now.

Her mom.

They said she wasn't going to make it. Nashi's mom had protected her dad - saved his life, actually - but gotten herself horribly wounded in the process. And from what everyone was saying, she wasn't ever going to get better.

The squeak of Nashi's bedroom window caught the girl's attention, and her head snapped up. "Who's there?" she defended weakly.

"Hey, hey, don't get all upset," the black-haired boy muttered, and Nashi's eyes widened when she realized who it was. "S'just me."

"Blue?"

He smirked. "You got it, Pinky."

She scowled. "S-shut up, snowflake."

"Hey, play nice, Nashi. I just came here to cheer ya up."

She glared at him. "I don't need cheering up. And certainly not from you."

But her defenses all came crumbling down when she saw the expression of genuine concern in Blue's eyes. "Nashi... I know what it's like, y'know."

She was silent.

Yeah. She knew.

She remembered.

She remembered the way Blue had cried when Nashi's father, Natsu, had come home and told them Gray - Blue's dad - was dead. Blue, who never cried. She remembered the way he'd run out of the guild, screaming for everyone to jjsr leave him alone. She remembered the way Juvia had been silent for days. She remembered the way they had both stopped showing up at the guild.

But Gray had come stumbling back, days later, weary and exhausted, covered in deep wounds. But alive. No one knew what happened, save for Gray himself, and still no one did, because the ice mage refused to say anything on the subject.

Nashi knew for a fact that, when they found out Gray was alive, she'd never seen Blue or Juvia happier. Never in her life.

"Th-that's different," Nashi found herself sobbing now. "No one ever had any proof that your dad died. And he - he came back! But Mom is sitting there in the infirmary dying in front of everyone's eyes right now, and my dad had to carry her back because she was already too far gone to walk herself!"

She realized she was screaming, and broke off, losing all coherency in her words as she cried. She felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her, felt him plant a gentle kiss in her hair, felt him gently rock her and soothe her.

Her sobs eventually quieted down. Blue didn't let go. She was glad for it.

"It'll all be okay," he murmured into her hair. "Your mom's strong. She'll pull through. You'll see."

Nashi found herself nodding. "Y-yeah..."

Blue's hold loosened slightly, but Nashi only held him tighter. He seemed to understand: she needed this right now. She needed him. So he continued to hold her, to rock her, to soothe her.

Everything would be alright. It had to be.

... ... ...

The blond woke up in the infirmary, barely remembering what had put her there.

"N-Na...tsu?"

His head snapped up, and Lucy got a clear view of the bags under his eyes, and the tears staining his cheeks. He hurriedly wiped them away, but not before she'd seen them.

"Wh-what... hap...pened?" she struggled to say, but the words had barely left her mouth when she felt his warm arms around her.

"Oh, Mavis," he choked out, and she realized he must have been crying for awhile. "Oh, Mavis, Luce. What were you thinking? You - you shouldn't have protected me! You shouldn't have taken that hit!"

The words sent a sort of electric shock through her, and everything came rushing back to her. All those monsters. The attack that Natsu hadn't seen coming. Leaping in front of him to protect him. The pain. Natsu screaming her name. And then everything went dark.

And now she was here.

"I... had to," she coughed, doing her best to return the embrace. "It w-would have... killed you..."

He pulled back, looking her straight in the eye, and she saw the pure anguish on his face. "Lucy, I thought you were dead. I-I'd rather die than lose you! I'd die for you any day, dang it! You know that!"

She cast him a weak smile. "Natsu... m-me... too. That's why I... did it, you... silly idiot."

She saw fresh tears in his eyes, and, in an attempt to cheer him up at least a little, inclined her chin towards him. He saw what she was asking and closed the gap between them with a long, deep kiss.

When they both pulled back, though, his tears had dripped onto her face and more were running down his face.

"No..." she wheezed, feeling weaker by the second. "S-stop crying, please..."

He wiped the tears away and gave her a shaky smile. "Cryin'? What're you talkin' about, Luce? Who's cryin'?"

She laughed a little, but it hurt her chest, and it turned into a cough halfway through. She saw how it pained him to see her like that, much as he tried to hide it, and returned his smile.

"Well, I know it can't... be you, N-Natsu. Dragons n-never cry, right?"

He leaned forward to hug her again, and she breathed in the scent she had so grown to love over the years.

"That's right, Luce."

... ... ...

Nashi somehow found the courage to come back to the guild to see her mother.

Blue left after a little while, to give her some space. She kind of wished he'd stayed, but then, part of her was grateful, too. The longer he saw her crying, the more teasing material he'd have later on...

The thought almost made her laugh.

Almost.

After maybe an hour or two, she finally came back, and saw her dad sitting there, staring at the table. Doing nothing at all.

Her breath caught.

"D-Daddy?" she asked, voice strained. "Is... is Mom..."

He looked up, and held out his arms. Grateful, Nashi rushed into them, letting herself collapse into his warm embrace. She felt the tears forming again, but pushed them back.

"She's doin' okay, Sport. Better than before." He gave her a smile that was tearful, but still hopeful, and that reassured her a little. "Wendy says she'll probably make it." He stroked her hair with one tough, calloused hand. "She'll be okay. I promise."

Hope surged through Nashi's chest, and she found herself crying all over again - but this time, in her father's arms instead of Blue's.

The thought suddenly made Nashi's face turn bright red, and she quickly pulled away from her father. "I-I, um... I have to... er... talk to Blue. About stuff."

He gave her a slightly suspicious look, but eventually nodded. Grateful for the lack of questioning, Nashi darted away, searching for Blue. She quickly found him, and marched up to the young Ice Make mage.

"Hey, Pinky," he greeted amicably. "You look great, you know. The tearstains really flatter ya."

Her brow furrowed and her face turned red, a sign she was getting angry. "Thanks, snowflake. Appreciate the compliment," she practically seethed, but made an effort to calm down. "Anyway - I came to talk about... um... about earlier." She flushed a little bit.

But Blue just shrugged. "Nothin' to talk about. You cried, and I was there to help ya feel better. We all have those moments."

She wasn't quite sure how to respond to that, but turned her face downward to stare at her shoes as she turned even more red than before. "W-well... uh... thanks for that, I guess. It was... really nice of you."

She suddenly recalled how he'd kissed her forehead gently and decided not to mention it. Instead, Nashi just cleared her throat and looked up, adding, "and anyway, when are you gonna stop sneaking into my room uninvited?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You don't like me doing it?"

She looked away. "No! I mean, yes - er - th-that's not it. I just... if my dad caught you..." She rubbed the back of her head nervously. "Well..."

He laughed. "If you don't mind it, I'll keep coming, 'cause I say to hell with whatever your dad says. It's nice to have time alone with - " He suddenly turned red. " - I mean - I mean, your bedroom's really nice and I like comin' there, that's all."

She smirked. "Oh? If you say so, ice princess."

He rolled his eyes. "I do say so, actually, fire freak."

She laughed a little, and he gave her a smug smile, but she didn't really mind. His smug smile was kinda cute, anyway. Even if it did tick her off sometimes.

The mood turned solemn when he asked, more quietly, "so how's your mom?"

Nashi stopped, biting her lip. "Well, she's not totally better, but..." A hopeful smile crossed her face. "She's doing better. I-I think she's gonna be okay."

He gave her a half-smile. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go see her."

She nodded, and rushed off in the direction of the infirmary, pushing open the door.

"...Mom?"

"N-Nashi?"

Upon seeing her mother, Nashi almost burst into tears again, but recalled her father's words.

 _She'll be okay. I promise._

And then, as she rushed forward to hug her mom, she vaguely remembered something else he'd told her long ago, after she got hurt while he was training her. Back when she was just four or five years old.

 _Dragons never cry._

So she'd have to be strong, then.

No more crying.

And a smile made its way across her face as her mother held her tightly.

... ... ...

 **Oooh, yep. I'm shipping my fanchildren now. XD**

 **Mira: That was adorable!**

 **Gray: Wait, wait - did my kid just kiss Natsu's kid?! Tell me that didn't happen. Oh Mavis, tell me that didn't happen.**

 **Oh, shut up, Gray. Besides, it wasn't exactly a real kiss. Just a tiny one on her forehead.**

 **Mira: *giggles***

 **Gray: *faints***

 **Anyway... that's all for today, and I'll be writing more tomorrow! Bye!**


	29. Wishes

**Happy Thursday! ...even though you won't see this till tomorrow... *cough* um, anyway.**

 **I thought I'd do a little something sad here. 'Cause I'm in the mood. So, I'm not sure whether to kill Natsu or Lucy... and then I was like, what about the other characters? Like Nashi? Could I kill Nashi?**

 **But naw. Lucy and Natsu are more fun anyway... gihihi.**

 **Gajeel: Ya copyin' my laugh, Shrimp?**

 **Levy: I thought Shrimp was MY nickname!**

 **Gajeel: Nah, she could be as short as ya, couldn't she? Hey, Shrimp II, are ya as short as Shrimp here?**

 **No, actually... I'm... ahh, we'll go with... six foot eleven. Yeah, that sounds tall. ;)**

 **Day Twenty-Nine**

 **Wishes**

Lucy had made a lot of wishes before in her life.

She had wished for things like money and good luck and and happiness. She had wished on stars. She had said things like "I wish you would just be quiet for one minute!" sometimes to some people, coughNatsucough, and she had wished quietly inside her head for things she never told anyone.

One such wish was one that no one would ever find out about. It was simple, but it was still a big wish, and she was sure it couldn't ever come true, anyway.

The fact was, Lucy wished that Natsu loved her. You know - as more than family. More than nakama. Because, though she loved being his best friend, his nakama, she couldn't help but want more.

Because she was in love with him. And he most certainly didn't reciprocate her feelings; of this she was sure.

They were out on a job one day when it happened.

"Luuuuuuuuuuucy! C'mon! It's right up this way - the herbs are right here!"

"Be careful, Natsu! The request did say there was a huge monster guarding it..."

"Ah, whatever! Ain't no match for a fire dragon like me, eh?"

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Right. Of course, Natsu." She made her way up the hill at her own pace, though, knowing that Natsu could handle whatever they found.

She smiled to herself.

His reckless abandon and his childish pride were two things she both hated and loved about him at the same time.

The monster was indeed handled easily, the herbs were gathered, and it wasn't long before they were back on their way home to the guild, walking through a town, both laughing and smiling, with money in their pockets. It was just the two of them there - Happy had gone off with Wendy and Carla when given the offer.

She really liked this alone time with him. Not that she'd ever tell him that, but, well, she did.

Without thinking, Lucy reached out and intertwined her fingers with his.

Natsu seemed surprised by the contact, but cast her a cheerful grin and squeezed her hand gently.

"Somethin' wrong, Luce?"

"No. I just... like to hold your hand, is all."

What? Where had those words come from? Ugh, now he'd just think she was even weirder than he did before. Great.

But he only squeezed her hand again and smiled brighter. Was it just her, or was he blushing a little...?

But Lucy never figured out whether he had been or not, because that was the moment when it happened.

It was too fast for Lucy to even process. But suddenly, she was on the ground, and Natsu was on top of her, and there was an enormous shard of glass resembling a knife sticking out of his side.

He gasped in pain as he tried to stand again. Lucy's eyes widened. "N-Natsu! What - "

"Somebody," he gasped, clutching his side, "somebody tried to - kill you, Luce - "

She scrambled to her feet to help steady him. "Oh, Mavis, Natsu. We have to pull it out - oh, Mavis - "

He shook his head. "N-no. Leave it. I still... I can still fight."

She bit her lip, biting back tears. "Natsu, you aren't doing any fighting! We need to get you back to the guild!"

But suddenly, so fast Lucy had barely blinked and it happened, Natsu was ripped out of her arms and pressed against the wall.

It was a man.

A man with a burly stature, wavy brown hair, and green eyes. He cast Lucy an ugly smirk.

"Hey, pretty babe," he drawled. "Th' name's Ashett. Nice ta meet'cha. 'M sorry, but ah gotta capture yer boyfriend, here. Kill you, too, li'l lady. Orders from m' boss, see."

Lucy's eyes widened. "What - no! Who are you?"

"M' from a guild, see, babe," he chuckled. "Folks've called it a 'dark guild,' ah think. Anyway, you've gotta go, now, but let's get yer friend out of the way, first."

With one swift move, the glass shard was back in Ashett's hand, leaving a deep, bleeding gash in Natsu's side. Lucy watched as the glass turned into sand right before her eyes.

"Y'see, li'll girl, ah do sand magic. Ah can control sand, an' glass too, 'cause glass is kinda just heated-up sand, y'see." He held up his hands, and suddenly, shards of glass flew from the surrounding windows of the town they'd been walking through.

The brown-haired man tossed Natsu back into an alleyway, where there was a horrible, dull thunk and a crash, and held up his hands again. The glass shards surrounded Lucy, slowly coming closer.

With one downward strike of his hands, every single shard raced at the blond, full speed.

She didn't have time to scream before Natsu was there, arms wrapped around her. Lucy gasped, eyes meeting his. A cry wrenched itself from his throat, but he choked on the blood that was bubbling in his mouth.

"Natsu!" Lucy screamed as he slumped against her. To her horror, she hadn't a scratch on her, but Natsu's back was completely shredded.

As if being stabbed wasn't enough.

She gave a choked sob, looking up at Ashett, who was once again smirking.

Those shards would have killed her.

Natsu had just saved her life and risked his own... again.

But, then, Natsu was on his feet beside her again, giving her a weak grin. "I'll be alright, Luce," he managed, wiping blood from his mouth. "You better get out of here."

"N-No," she choked out, feeling the tears running down her cheeks. "I won't leave you, idiot!"

His eyes narrowed. "Lucy. This guy wants to kill you."

"And he's nearly killed you!" she argued, pulling out her fleuve d'etoiles. "I am not going to leave you, okay? So stop telling me to!"

Natsu sighed and turned back to Ashett. "If that's what you want, Luce." He lit his fists and charged. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

Lucy lashed out with her whip in an attempt to trap the man, but he easily evaded it. Natsu landed a few hits, but things went downhill from there.

Ashett grasped Natsu by the heel, slamming him down onto the ground. He held up a shimmering black object, and brought it down hard on Natsu's body.

A huge jolt went through the pink-haired boy, and he let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Lucy raced toward him. "Natsu!"

He grinned weakly, pulling himself to his feet. "I'm... fine, Luce..."

The battle resumed.

She did the best she could, but after whatever Ashett had done to Natsu, it was clear that they were no match for him. Especially because of how Natsu continuously protected her from almost every hit she would've taken.

And then Natsu landed a final hit.

Ashett fell, down for the count.

And so did Natsu.

Lucy cried out and ran to her best friend, dropping to her knees beside him. "N-Natsu," she choked out. "You... you idiot! Why'd you take all those hits for me?"

He smiled crookedly. "Aw, come on... I-I had too, Luce. I... I love you, y'know."

She drew in a sharp breath.

"Not... not just as... n-nakama," he added, still smiling. "Wish you... loved me too, y-you know, but I guess it's... too late n-now..."

Her eyes widened when she realized what he was saying.

"No," she gasped. "No - no!"

"Tell everyone..." Natsu's eyes seemed to focus on something in the distance. "Tell 'em I... I..."

And then he slumped back against the ground, eyes still staring sightlessly ahead.

"Natsu?" Lucy choked out. "N-Natsu!"

"NATSU!"

And, as Lucy broke down over his lifeless body, she realized that if she had told him her feelings before, he would've told her that he felt the same.

But it was too late for that. If only she had told him sooner.

But now, all she had was that empty wish.

... ... ...

Erza was the one they sent out to search. Gray went, too, and Wendy, just in case one of them was hurt. And of course, Happy and Carla insisted upon coming along.

They found her sobbing in an alleyway over a beaten, bloody, almost unrecognizable body.

It was only once they got closer that they saw who it was, glassy eyes staring at nothing, mouth hanging slightly ajar, blood turning his pink hair red.

 _Natsu Dragneel was dead._

... ... ...

 **Well, okay, there. I know you hate me more now.**

 **As for Ashett and the shimmering black thing, well, I was kinda using this to test out a villain for What Makes Us, so if ya wanna find out who he is, you can check that out. He'll be revealed later on in that story. ;D**

 **Mira: *sniveling* You horrible person...**

 **Gray: ...I think I'm almost getting used to this from you, Kit... *quickly wipes face***

 **Mira: GRAY, ARE YOU CRYING?!**

 **Gray: What?! NO!**

 **Mira: *snaps picture***

 **Anyway, guys, I'm coming home tomorrow and I can post all these, so see you then! :3**


	30. AU: The Princess and the Dragon

**Wow! It's Day 30! As in, three tens! It's a real milestone, guys!**

 **...annnnnnnnd, also, as an explanation for why I'm not home and posting this today, I had a conversation that went something like this:**

 **Me: Okay, looks like it's Friday, better start packing for the drive home.**

 **Everyone: Huh? The vacation doesn't end till tomorrow, silly! What are you talking about?**

 **Me: O-o wat.**

 **...soooooooo yeah. Sorry, my precious cookies, won't see you till tomorrow... oh well... I did have a heck of a lot of fun today though... and I ate fifty billion marshmallows...**

 **Mira: Marshmallows?**

 **Yup. Anyway, I guess we should get on with this?**

 **Day Thirty**

 **AU: The Princess and the Dragon**

The palace of the vast kingdom of Fiore was truly a sight to behold. Many of the peasants of the land would have given just about anything to live there, but there was a certain girl who was different.

Princess Lucy Heartfilia didn't wish to live in the palace; she wished to be free of its walls.

Naturally, you want to know why. Well, I'm getting there. Be patient.

It wasn't that that the princess disliked the high life - well, in all honesty, she did, but that wasn't the thing she truly hated. Lucy knew she was a lucky girl. She knew she was fortunate to have her long, beautiful gowns and fancy feasts every night. So she put up with all of that, because it wasn't all that bad, really.

But what Lucy truly hated were the stupid rules.

The stupid rules stated, simply put, that a princess is to marry a prince of another kingdom to benefit her own kingdom.

The rules also stated that dragons were dangerous creatures and were to be permanently locked up or, preferably, executed.

The first rule was awful and stupid because Lucy was already in love with someone who certainly wasn't a prince.

The second rule was even more awful and stupid because Lucy's love interest happened to be a dragon.

Not that she would have guessed it at first. He looked like a normal boy - well, aside from the pink hair, that definitely wasn't normal - and if asked to name his species, Lucy knew she definitely would have said "human."

They met on the streets of Crocus, the biggest city in Fiore, and the place where the palace was located. Lucy had, yet again, dressed herself up in peasant clothing and entered the busy streets, longing for a glimpse of the life her people had.

She had grown used to the hustle and bustle and pushing and shoving of the streets of Crocus, and she had been knocked down more than once, but quickly became accustomed to the rush. No one stopped to help anyone up. They were all too busy doing their own things.

That was why she was taken by surprise when, upon falling once more, a tough, calloused hand reached down to help her up.

Grateful, Lucy took the hand as she hoisted herself to her feet. "Thank you," she breathed, brushing off her ragged brown skirts. She looked up to meet the eyes of the kind person and was taken aback.

Shocking pink hair, onyx eyes, and a wide, cheerful, toothy smile were what greeted her.

Never before in her life had Lucy seen such a face.

"H-Hello!" she gasped, a bit shocked. "Um, my name's Lucy, good to meet you..."

The boy laughed. "It was no problem. I'm Natsu, by the way. Hey, you've got the same name as the princess here, don'tcha?"

Lucy swallowed. "Y-Yeah," she agreed. "I do. That's right."

They spent just a little while talking with each other, happily chatting and getting to know one another. But eventually, Lucy realized she'd be missed back at the castle if she was gone for much longer.

"Meet me here, same time tomorrow, alright?" he said, those wild eyes of his darting around excitedly.

She nodded, eager for the chance to see him again. "Of course!"

And so it went. They met four times before both of their secrets came undone.

It was the fifth meeting. This one was in the park.

"Hey, Luce," Natsu said anxiously when they met up. He had taken to calling her Luce during their second meeting. "Luce, I got somethin' important to tell you. Come with me, alright?"

He grasped her wrist and pulled her into a grove of trees.

"Look," he mumbled quietly. "I - I don't know how to say this..."

"Just tell me. I promise I won't see you any differently," Lucy assured him, and he smiled gratefully.

"Watch," he said quietly, holding up his hand.

Flames flickered to life on his fingertips. Lucy gasped.

"I'm a dragon," the boy said quietly. "A fire dragon. Keep watching."

Slowly, dimly, his body started to glow. Before she knew it, Lucy was staring at a dark red dragon, the size of a bus.

In the blink of an eye, he was human again, looking awkward and nervous.

Lucy stared.

Then she laughed and hugged him.

"Silly idiot," she murmured affectionately. "I still think you're wonderful, you know."

He grinned and hugged her back.

"I have a secret too," she added solemnly when they pulled back. She reached into her bag and pulled out a crown. "I'm... actually Lucy Heartfilia. You know... the princess."

His eyes widened as he stared at her. Then he grinned, pulling her back into a hug. "Well, I think you're wonderful no matter who you are."

She turned to look up at the sky. "It's getting late. My father will be missing me. Shall we meet here again tomorrow?"

He cast her that wide, toothy grin she so loved. "Sure!"

She laughed and hugged him again before turning away to head back to the castle.

... ... ...

They continued to meet in secret like that, as the weeks passed by. At the time, Lucy didn't know about the rule for dragons. However, she was soon to learn.

It was a shock when it happened. The guards dragged in yet another prisoner, but this time, Lucy was startled to find that it was a child. Only a little girl, who couldn't have been more than twelve, and was covered in bruises and gashes.

"That poor girl," Lucy whispered to herself. "What could she have possibly done for them to treat her so?"

She resolved to find out.

That night, Lucy snuck down to the dungeon, lighting a lantern. It didn't take long to find the little girl. She was sitting in the pitch-black dark, crying quietly. Lucy held the lantern up.

The girl had long, dark blue hair, tattered clothing that looked like it used to be nice, and soft brown eyes. She looked up, startled and clearly afraid.

"P-Princess?" she gasped, taking in the crown and fine clothing. "O-oh, excuse me, Your Highness! I-I'm sorry!" Quickly, she bowed down.

"Oh, there's no need for that!" Lucy said hastily, leaning down and smiling. "Just call me Lucy, alright?" The girl nodded. "And what should I call you, then?"

She swallowed. "I'm Wendy."

"Okay, Wendy," Lucy said gently. "I was just curious... what brought you here?"

Wendy looked like she wanted to cry. "I-I'm a dragon," she confessed, looking downward. "So... so I'm to be either arrested or killed on sight, by order of the king. Now that they arrested me I guess it's only a matter of time before I'm executed."

Lucy's hand flew to her mouth in horror. "I never knew about that law! How - how horrible!" Immediately, she thought of Natsu.

Wendy's and eyes were dark. "All of my friends are still out there. You know any of them?"

"I-I'm good friends with a dragon, actually," Lucy whispered. "His name is Natsu..."

Wendy's eyes watered. "He's my big brother... I miss him."

Lucy's eyes narrowed. "Well, Wendy, I'll promise you something here and now. I will get you out of here, one way or another, and I will find a way to keep all of the dragons safe. Okay?"

Wendy nodded slowly. "O-Okay." Then she looked down guilty. "Um... I-I have a secret." She reached into her bag to pull out a kitten, small and fluffy white. "Her name's Charle, and she's my best friend..."

Lucy smiled. "Your secret is safe with me."

... ... ...

The next time she met with Natsu, Lucy started crying upon the first sight of him.

"Luce!" he cried, alarmed, rushing forward to wrap her in a hug. "What's wrong?"

She sobbed into him, holding him tightly. "I-I... I found out about... about the law," she choked out. "The one... about dragons."

His eyes darkened. "Oh," was all he said.

She looked up at him with tearful eyes. "They took an innocent little girl prisoner, Natsu! And they beat her half to death!"

His eye widened. "You mean - not Wendy?" he cried, aghast.

She nodded, burying her face in his chest. "I talked to her. Why would my father do such an awful thing? It's just too horrible..."

Natsu held her gently. "It's all right," he soothed. "We've broken each other out before, y'know. All my dragon buddies and I."

She smiled weakly. "So you'll be able to rescue Wendy?"

"Probably," he sighed. "Hopefully."

They stayed like that for awhile, on a bench in the park, holding each other and talking quietly.

But that was when it happened.

Suddenly, they were surrounded by castle guards, their weapons aimed straight at Natsu. His eyes widened, and immediately he looked to her, betrayed.

"Wh-what?" she cried, aghast. "I didn't - I never - "

"You tricked me," he hissed. "I should never have trusted you."

She looked back at him, tears in her eyes. "No!" she replied tearfully. "I would never do that, Natsu! I love you!"

"That isn't going to work on me, princess." His eyes were dark and cold.

And that was when Lucy looked around and saw something: the guard captain's crossbow had an arrow at the ready. As did every single other crossbow around them. And they were all aimed at Natsu.

"No," she whispered. They meant to kill him. "No!"

In a flash, several things happened.

The crossbows fired.

Natsu barely had time to react.

Lucy jumped.

She tackled him to the ground.

And she took every single hit.

She collapsed on top of him, gritting her teeth and trying to bite back tears of pain. "I never - tricked you, N-Natsu..." she wheezed, shuddering.

"Luce," he whispered, aghast. "What - "

"Didn't want you to - " Lucy choked on her own blood, spitting it out onto the ground. "Get hurt..."

"You idiot," he hissed, tears in his eyes. "I could have jumped out of the way! I'm a dragon - I have faster reflexes than humans do!"

She shuddered again, coughing up more blood. "S-Sorry, I guess," she mumbled, and then - to Natsu's shock - actually laughed. "Guess I'm... pretty stupid."

"Yeah, you are," he replied, feeling tears roll down his cheeks.

But their moment was interrupted when he was roughly grabbed from behind. "You, dragon, come with us," the guard captain growled. "Stay away from the princess!"

He fought against them, throwing them off of him. "Leave me alone," he growled. "You call yourselves guards? Look at you! You nearly killed your own princess! You'd better hope that the royal healers can help her!"

But that was when things went downhill.

Because a pair of cuffs were slapped onto his wrists, and he was grabbed again.

Natsu's eyes widened. "Crap." He tried to light a flame, or go into dragon form, but the cuffs had some sort of blocking spell on them. "Oh, crap."

"Natsu?" Lucy choked out. Natsu struggled against the guards' hold. Unfortunately, the cuffs also sapped his strength somehow.

"Luce!" he cried.

She struggled to her feet, stumbling over to him. Blood streamed from the arrow wounds, and she pulled him in to hug him -

\- and it ended up with their lips meeting.

Natsu was fairly certain he'd never felt better in his life.

Lucy had come to the same conclusion.

Buy they were once more ripped away from each other, and Natsu was dragged off one way, while Lucy was gently carried by some of the other guards.

"I love you," she choked out, tears in her eyes.

But Natsu was already too far away to hear her.

... ... ...

 **Meehhhhh, it's late and I'm sleepy. I'll write Part Two tomorrow! Maybe.**

 **Mira: Maybe?!**

 **Gray: You can't freaking end it like that!**

 **Well, actually, I could...**

 **Mira: *faints***

 **Gray: *bangs head against a wall* No. More. Cliff. Hangers. Please. You have enough of those in WMU!**

 **I guess I do... okay, so I will write Part Two tomorrow and give y'all a happy ending.**

 **(Probably.)**


	31. Sleeping

**I'm bored and I don't want to do the AU today. So I'm gonna leave y'all on a cliffhanger with that one... for now. I'll finish it up some other day. Nobody's going to die, though, I promise!**

 **Unless I decide to go all Shakespeare-Romeo-and-Juliet with it... hmmm...**

 **...Ha ha, I'm kidding.**

 **Mira: Very funny.**

 **Gray: Can we get to the one-shot now?**

 **Eh, sure. :3**

 **Day Thirty-One**

 **Sleeping**

Lucy was tired and Natsu was in her bed.

What was she supposed to do, sleep on the floor? No. She'd done that before. It hurt. She didn't want to sleep on the floor.

So that left two options. Wake him up or sleep beside him. Well, obviously, Lucy was going to go with the first one.

Except it didn't go quite according to plan.

Hitting him, yelling at him, pulling the covers off him - none of it worked. She even attempted to literally drag him out of bed, but he wouldn't budge.

"Too many cookies, Natsu," she muttered under her breath. She imagined his reply.

"It's all muscle weight!" he'd protest. "I'm not fat!"

To which she'd reply, "you're heavy anyway."

Lucy laughed despite herself. Natsu was such an idiot. An adorable idiot, yeah, but an idiot all the same.

Then she focused her mind back on the problem at hand.

He wouldn't really mind, would he? It's not like they were... doing anything. Natsu would be fine with her sleeping beside him. With that thought in mind, Lucy crawled into bed beside Natsu.

He smelled nice, she noted.

And he was warm.

And it sure felt good when he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her in close like that -

Lucy gasped sharply, her face turning red. What was he doing?! Had he actually been awake that whole time?! Or was he doing this unconsciously...?

Whatever the case, it did kinda feel good. Lucy sighed and let herself settle into the position.

A small smile made its way onto her face.

Yup. She was definitely in love with that adorable pink-haired idiot.

... ... ...

 **Mira: Awwwwwww!**

 **Gray: Okay, that was definitely VERY VERY Natsu-ish. I mean, I could imagine that entire scene. I really could. Especially the part about Natsu being an idiot...**

 **Oh, Gray. *clucks tongue* When will you ever get past that childish rivalry?**

 **Gray: Probably never.**

 **Okay... anyway, thank you, my fabulous readers, for your lovely patience! I'm sorry I couldn't come home yesterday and was stuck out in no-internet-land for an extra day! Please forgive me! And maybe leave a review if you love me... ;)**


	32. Perfoom

**Hai guys! Happy Sunday! It's Day 32, yippee-ki-yay!**

 **So, I'm currently listening to a song called "See You Again" by Carrie Underwood. Not the Wiz Khalifa one. It's really good, and it DEFINITELY reminds me of how Lucy must have felt when Natsu left for that whole year to train... ;-; I'll definitely do a one-shot with that song sometime soon!**

 **Mira: What about today?**

 **Today I don't really know what I want to do. :/ Probably, that means...**

 **Gray: ...time for more crack?**

 **Yep! :D**

 **Day Thirty-Two**

 **Perfoom**

It had been a simple predicament: Natsu was once more confused by Lucy's weirdness and was ready to solve the mystery that she had presented him with. She'd walked into the guild smelling like a walking flower shop, and Natsu had complained.

"Lucy," he moaned. "What the _heck_ is that smell?"

She scowled. "It's perfume, idiot."

"Well, I don't like it."

"What do you mean you don't _like_ it?" she cried, incredulous. "I thought you'd _love_ it! It smells great and your heightened sense of smell should only make it better!"

Natsu sighed. "Well, yeah, I guess I like the smell, but - " Suddenly, he gave her an odd look. "Wait. You didn't wear that perfoom stuff just 'cause you thought I'd _like_ it, did you?"

Immediately, she turned bright red and tried to deny it, meaning he'd been right. Though why she got _embarrassed_ about it was just one more mystery to Natsu.

"Anyway, sure I like the flowery smell, but you smell way better," he finished. "Like, you _without_ any perfoom stuff."

"It's _perfume,"_ Lucy corrected, annoyed. "And anyway, you're just strange, so I guess I should've expected that. Never mind." She seemed kind of disappointed.

Natsu was about to protest that there was no way _he_ was the strange one, but she just walked away.

"Happy!" Natsu called once she was out of earshot. "We're going to Lucy's place. Now."

Happy blinked, surprised, but quickly grinned. "Aye, sir!"

And that was how they had ended up at Lucy's place, trying to uncover the mysterious goodness behind that perfoom junk, and it was how every single bottle had ended up smashed on the ground and every last drop of the smelly liquid was soaked into the carpet.

Happy gagged at the overwhelming, downright awful smell. "This smells horrible! Natsu! I think I decided that perfoom will never EVER be as good as fish!"

"Agreed!" Natsu choked out. "Analysis complete! There is nothing good at all in perfoom and Lucy is just being a complete weirdo as usual by using it!"

"Aye!"

With that, they dashed out of the house, tears forming in their eyes as they gagged and coughed.

... ... ...

Lucy showed up several minutes later, muttering to herself about how Natsu and Happy knew _nothing_ and couldn't even pronounce the word perfume right, and she didn't care at all what the pink-haired dragonslayer thought.

She opened the door, was assaulted by the smell, took in the evidence, and got _MAD._

"NATSU DRAGNEEL, PREPARE TO DIE!"

And that is the story of Natsu Dragneel and perfoom - ah, sorry. I mean perfume. Heh.

... ... ...

 **Hope you liked it. XD This one was fun, indeed. See ya tomorrow!**


	33. Perfoom, the Sequel

**Okay, so, I got a LOT of positive responses for yesterday's chapter! XD But I also got enough people begging for Ichiya-san that I decided to make... A SEQUEL! Because I'm still in a slightly bored crack-writing mood.**

 **Mira: Ichiya...** ** _san?_**

 **Gray: Why "-san"?**

 **Because. I feel like it. I dunno, Gray-san.**

 **Mira: Gray too?!**

 ***shrugs* Yeah, Mira-san.**

 **Gray: Is that the only honorific you know?!**

 **It actually isn't, Gray-kyô. (Kyô = "my lord")**

 **Gray: *sweats* You're starting to sound like Juvia...**

 **Mira: OKAY, IT'S CHAPTER TIME!**

 **Day Thirty-Three**

 **Perfoom, the Sequel**

Let's see, where did we last leave off?

Oh. Right...

"NATSU DRAGNEEL, PREPARE TO DIE!"

So said Lucy Heartfilia as she stomped down the street in the direction of the guild. Because, knowing Natsu, that was surely where he'd try to hide. Of course, she got plenty of weird stares, but she didn't mind. After being in Fairy Tail for so long, well... she was kind of used to it.

Natsu heard her from the corner of the guild hall that he was hiding in - for he had, indeed, attempted to take refuge at Fairy Tail - and cowered, curling up and trying to look even smaller than he had been before.

"Hey, Natsu, d'you think she'll use her whip?" Happy commented nonchalantly from beside him. Natsu cringed - knowing Happy, the little blue cat was probably going to get off scot free for this one, whether for his talent of pushing the blame on everyone else for everything, or solely for his cuteness.

Suddenly, that gave Natsu a great idea.

(Which is a rare occurrence outside of battle, mind you.)

"I've got it!" he suddenly cried, snapping his fingers. "I'll act adorable and she won't be able to punish my cute face! Yes, that's perfect!"

Happy stared at him as if he'd grown another head. Okay, so it wasn't a great idea. It was a _horrible_ one. Which I think actually might be pretty common from Natsu, seeing as he's pretty awful in the thinking department.

" _Natsu_ ," the Exceed sighed, "you _know_ that isn't going to work on Lucy..."

Natsu just grinned like a maniac. "Whaaaat? Sure it is!" He practiced his adorable-guilty-resmorseful-I'm-sorry-face, but Happy just rolled his eyes.

"I'm gonna go over to where Charle and Wendy are..." he said.

"Don't abandon me!"

"Aye!" Happy called over his shoulder, despite the fact that he was in the process of abandoning Natsu.

"Happppyyyyyyy," the pink-haired boy whined. "You meanie..."

At that moment, Lucy herself burst through the doors of the guild, an unrelenting glare on her face.

"NATSU!" she roared, catching sight of the dragonslayer, who cringed.

Don't be scared, he chastised himself. It's cute face time...

He tried again with the cute face, hoping to win more points with his blond friend than he had with Happy.

And to everyone's shock, it worked. Including you guys. Act shocked, readers!

"N-Natsu?" Lucy stammered, clearly taken aback by the adorable, nervous blush he was giving her.

"I'm sorry," he said timidly - cutely. "I-I shouldn't have spilled your perfoom... I just wanted to see how good it smelled, even if it's not as good as you..."

Lucy blushed. "O-Oh... um... well..." She tried to get angry again. "W-well, it's pronounced perfume, not perfoom!"

"I disagree! Men!"

They both froze.

"I would call it... PARFUM! Meeeeennn!"

They both turned pale.

"Now, what is this parfum-related issue I have heard calling me from afar?"

They both groaned.

"Not Ichiya," Lucy moaned despairingly, holding her head in her hands.

"Please, not him," Natsu moaned even more despairingly.

"Men! I see you two are arguing about what is truly the best parfum, are you not? Men!" the short, stocky man said dramatically, making strange theatrical gestures with his hands.

"Ichiya, that's not - "

"I see! Men! Well, I would have to say _this_ parfum..."

The Blue Pegasus mage pulled out a small vial of worrying purple liquid.

"...beats them all! MEN!" Ichiya finished, scattering its contents into the air. A choking, overwhelming scent washed over everyone as the liquid splashed back onto Ichiya, coating him in the scent.

Lucy and Natsu, being the closest to the "parfum," were gagging and coughing on the floor, so they didn't notice when the vial's contents transformed Ichiya into a bulky, muscled, and - most frightening of all - _sparkling_ version of himself. Everyone else in the guild did.

They also noticed the fact that most of Ichiya's clothing had, being to small, been torn and fallen off. Save for his pants - which now looked like way-too-short shorts - he wasn't wearing a thing.

Wendy fainted on the spot, her face a brighter shade of red than you or I would have thought possible.

Charle only stared in horror.

Happy covered his eyes.

Most every man in the guild got an awful nosebleed.

Erza choked on air.

Gajeel covered Levy's eyes.

And, lastly, Gray was in a condition similar to Ichiya: wearing almost nothing in front of the entire guild. Not that he noticed, of course.

And that is the second story of Natsu Dragneel and parfum - uh, I mean perfoom - or was it perfume? I'm confusing myself now. Um, yeah, so that's the story!

... ... ...

 **Mira: ...**

 **Gray: ...**

 **:D Hope you enjoyed!**


	34. How Juvia Sees It

**Hai guys! It's Day 34!**

 **Mira: *yawn***

 **Gray: *yawn***

 ***yawn* Here in the Grand Room of Narration, we're all tired, so I'm going to make a one-shot about sleeping.**

 **Mira: *squeak* SLEEPING?!**

 **Gray: I - wha - you - but -**

 **BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP, I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT AND YOU KNOW IT!**

 **Mira and Gray: ...**

 **Day Thirty-Four**

 **How Juvia Sees It**

Once you've been in Fairy Tail for long enough, you start to get an idea of how Juvia sees things.

Which is, in a word, _differently._

Natsu doesn't have a clue what Juvia is talking about basically _ever._ Lucy wishes she was as blessed with ignorance as her partner. Mirajane occasionally takes to squealing along with Juvia about all the couples they've invented - though whenever Gray is mentioned with anyone besides the water mage, her squeals seem to resemble possessive growls.

Elfman is fairly certain Juvia is the least MAN in the guild, which could be a compliment or an insult - it's difficult to tell. Evergreen is often busy either telling Elfman off or trying to strangle Juvia, usually because in the blunette's eyes, Ever either has a crush on Elfman or a crush on her beloved Gray-sama.

Cana is usually drunk enough to _agree_ with Juvia.

Every female in the guild has, at least once, been a Love Rival in Juvia's eyes - and, in one frightening case, Juvia's fantasies involved _Natsu_ of all people - and every female tends to take a few precautions around Gray. For example, _no one_ likes to come within three feet of him when around Juvia, much to Gray's annoyance.

But, all that aside, Juvia's beliefs when it comes to Lucy are by far the most frightening.

These were revealed when she broke into Lucy's house - it's still unknown why on Earthland she did, but, well, she _did_ \- and happened to see Lucy asleep.

In her bed.

With none other than a pink-haired version of Juvia's beloved Gray-sama.

Well, it was actually Natsu, but Juvia didn't believe that.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia wailed, causing Natsu and Lucy to jolt awake. "Why have you betrayed your beloved Juvia? Juvia doesn't mind Gray-sama's new pink hair, but HOW COULD YOU SLEEP WITH LOVE RIVAL IN FRONT OF JUVIA?!"

"Why the heck are you comparing me to that ice freak?" Natsu yelled.

"Juvia, why are you in my house?!" Lucy cried.

"Gray-sama, how could you?" Juvia wailed again, bursting into tears on the spot.

"JUVIA! THIS IS NATSU, NOT GRAY!" Lucy yelled hastily in an attempt to avoid having her apartment flooded.

Juvia hesitated. "L-Love Rival... _wasn't_ sleeping with Gray-sama?" she sniffled.

"What? _Sleeping_ with - you mean - it's _not_ what it looks like!" Lucy cried, aghast.

"Juvia knew it! Love Rival WAS sleeping with pink-haired Gray-sama!" Juvia bawled.

"NO SHE WASN'T!" Natsu roared. "Lucy is _mine!"_

 _"Natsu,"_ Lucy whined. "I am _no one's!"_

"Yeah, you are," Natsu replied with a shrug. "You didn't know that?"

"Argh!" Lucy cried. "I give up!"

"Juvia has figured it out," Juvia suddenly gasped. "Love Rival was sleeping with Natsu... and IMAGINING he was Gray-sama!"

"Nooooo," Lucy moaned. "For the last time, we weren't DOING anything! JUST sleeping, I swear! And also for the last time, I AM NOT YOUR LOVE RIVAL!"

Of course, we all know Juvia. And we all know that nothing can convince her of how wrong her strange fantasy of love really is. And we've all seen those weird diagrams she comes up with explaining all of those nonexistent relationships between, well, EVERYBODY.

And so we all must know that, in the end, Lucy got nowhere with her explanations and her apartment was first set on fire and then flooded and is now damaged beyond repair.

So I guess that's what happens when you try to find out how Juvia sees things.

... ... ...

 **Mira: ...ooooookay then...**

 **Gray: Oh jeez... *smashes head against table* What the -**

 **Language, Gray.**

 **Gray: You didn't even know what I was going to say!**

 **Yes I did. Anyway, my lovely cookies,**

 **Mira: "Lovely cookies"?**

 ***ahem* ANYWAY, my readers, I updated What Makes Us today (at last) soooo I just thought I'd let you know! Hope you check it out! Baaaiiiiii for now!**


	35. In Love

**I am a failure at life.**

 **Yesterday was so hectic, and I had no access to computer, and I was forced to write the one-shot out on paper before I fell asleep. I was so exhausted. It's ridiculously short and utterly terrible but I'll post it anyway.**

 **Day Thirty-Five**

 **In Love**

Natsu's eyes had bags under them. He was exhausted. That morning when he'd gotten up, he'd had half a mind to stay home all day, but he needed to get to the guild. There was something he had to say to a certain someone, and he knew he'd go insane if he didn't.

He finally reached the big double doors. The boy pushed them open, stepping inside, and was greeted by a flying shirt.

But instead of getting angry and picking a fight with Gray - whom the shirt undoubtedly belonged to - as he normally would have, Natsu only tossed the article of clothing aside. He had something much more important to do. It was the reason he'd pulled an all-nighter to stay up and _think,_ of all things, and it was the reason he'd dragged himself to the guild anyway. It was something he'd never quite felt before, but Natsu knew now that it was the best feeling in the world.

Because Natsu Dragneel was in love.

With who? Lucy, of course. He knew that much. He didn't know the when or the how - but the why was kind of obvious. Natsu was in love because - well, because _Lucy._ That was all the reason he needed. _She_ was all the reason he needed. Her beautiful golden hair; the soft, gentle touch of her hand on his; her gorgeous, big brown eyes; her bright smile ; her often cheerful disposition; her caring and optimistic nature - _everything_ about her was perfect.

Lucy was amazing and that's all there was to it.

And Natsu was most _definitely_ in love with her.

... ... ...

 **Ahh, I know, it was awful and short and I posted it late. The worst combination ever. I'm sorry but I was exhausted last night... I'll post this now, see you later today with today's one-shot! Bye!**


	36. Lovesick

**Day Thirty-Six**

 **Lovesick**

Natsu had no clue what was wrong with him.

His first thought had been sickness. Except that didn't really make any sense at all. Natsu didn't quite feel sick - he just felt... _weird._

Like how his insides churned randomly, but somehow in a good way. That was _weird._ And how it tended to happen around Lucy, of all people. That was _weird._ And how just the slightest touch from said blond mage felt like an electric shock. That was _definitely weird._

And then, after the physical symptoms of this - this _disease,_ then came the mental ones.

Oh, those were _so_ much worse. The very sight of Lucy was suddenly enough to get his mind whirring. He wanted to pin her to the wall and kiss the life out of her - _wait_ one second - _why the heck did Natsu suddenly want to put his mouth on Lucy's, for Mavis's sake?!_ WHERE had THAT come from? Oh, man. Yeah. He was definitely sick.

And as if that wasn't enough, this stupid illness affected his magic, too. For example, one of Lucy's touches didn't just feel like an electric shock anymore. Nope, now it did something else, too.

It _set him on fire._

Quite literally.

So that was that. Natsu was sick. And probably the most awful, yet wonderful thing about this illness was that for some odd reason, _he never wanted it to end._

He _liked_ feeling this way about Lucy. He _liked_ this strange sickness.

Even if it was really, very, extremely, utterly, absolutely _weird._

And perhaps this is one of the many reasons so many, many people have come to use the term _"lovesick."_

... ... ...

 **hope ya liked it, sorry it's short again, agh it's so late at night where I am! gotta go bye super exhausted DX**


	37. Cold

**Day Thirty-Seven**

 **Cold**

Lucy stared at him.

 _Really, Natsu? How many times are you going to do this?_

She didn't try to wake him up. She knew it was pretty much hopeless. He'd crashed on her bed yet again, and it was really because of the many times he'd done it before that Lucy had bothered with buying herself a couch.

She didn't even change, she was so tired. With a long sigh, the blond mage simply dropped herself on the couch and let herself sleep.

It wasn't easy. She fell asleep quickly at first, but woke later with a start, pulling herself into a sitting position. She took a glance at the clock, sure that at least a few hours had passed during her slumber -

The digital clock, blinking red numbers on her nightstand, read 2:46 a.m.

Only _ten_ _minutes_ had passed since she'd gone to bed!

Lucy stared at the clock for a few moments later. Her shoulders sagged, and she fell back onto the couch.

 _I haven't got a pillow. Or a blanket._

But Lucy didn't care, letting the thoughts drift away from her mind. She was completely exhausted. She needed to sleep.

And so she did.

But she woke again, a mere hour later, and after another glance at the clock, she groaned. The celestial mage was sure, if things kept up this way, she was in for a long night. Her gaze drifted to Natsu, sleeping peacefully in her bed.

 _Her_ bed.

That... that _idiot..._ that stupid _moron..._ he... Lucy let out a loud, frustrated groan and put her head in her hands.

He clearly wasn't getting up - and there was no way _she_ was getting _in_ until _he_ was _out._

That left her with one option.

Go back to sleep on the stupid couch.

And so she did.

Lucy woke thirty minutes later, feeling like a popsicle. Some part of her mind wondered if Gray had snuck in, too, and caused this ridiculous temperature drop - or maybe it had been this cold the whole time, and she was only just noticing it.

Glancing enviously at her warm bed, and the warm pink-haired boy sleeping in it, Lucy reluctantly stepped into her bathroom to shower.

It didn't take long for Lucy to be glad she had. Typically, she wasn't one for late-night(early morning?) showers, but this one made her feel _so good._ Yup, that had been a _very_ good decision.

After changing into some proper pajamas - _warm_ pajamas - Lucy fell back asleep on the couch.

Thank goodness, she didn't wake once more until morning. The sun had risen a while ago, and she felt so delightfully warm - uh, wait... _why_ was she so warm...?

Lucy blinked her eyes open and gazed down at herself.

She was in her bed.

 _She was in her bed!_

Lucy sat up, yawning. She still felt sore from the long solo job she'd taken last night, and the rough night on the couch.

"Oh, hey, Luce."

 _That voice._

Lucy froze. "N-Natsu?" She turned to face the pink-haired dragonslayer and felt anger bubble up inside her. "I was just on a mission last night! And it took _way_ too long, so I didn't get back till late, and _you_ were in my bed! And I was _cold_ on that stupid couch!" She realized she was whining, but she didn't care. She _had_ been cold, after all.

Natsu shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "Sorry, Lucy... I had meant to wait for ya till ya got back... so I could, y'know, be here to meet you... but I just got so tired."

Lucy softened a litte. She gave him a small smile.

"Well, okay then. Just - don't let that happen again!"

He chuckled. "Okay, Luce."

"By the way," she added curiously, "how'd I end up in my bed again?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Well, I moved you there when I woke up, a'course. You looked pretty cold."

She scowled. "I _was_ cold." Then she brightened. "But thank you!"

Natsu laughed, and so did Lucy.

That idiot. That stupid, flame-brained moron.

Ah, she loved him...


	38. Save Me

**So, some people were upset there was no "commentary" yesterday... ;3 Guess who's here with commentary today?**

 **Mira: We are! ^.^**

 **Gray: ...**

 **Erza: CAKE!**

 **Oi, where'd you come from?**

 **Erza: Cakeland, of course... *munches cake***

 **Gray: *swats Erza's cake away* This is an author's note, not a cafeteria!**

 **Yeah! You're getting my shiny floor all dirty... *realizes what Gray just did and starts sweating* Uh... Gray...**

 **Gray: *freezes* Ah, crap.**

 **Erza: SACRILEGE! MY CAAAAKE! *requips into Heaven's Wheel Armor and drags Gray away***

 **Mira: ...aaaaaannnd that's the last we see of** ** _him..._**

 **Um... I think I'd better write that chapter now...**

 **Day Thirty-Eight**

 **Save Me**

"Natsu!"

The twenty-six-year-old man's head snapped up at the sound of his mate's voice. "Luce?"

The blond celestial mage stumbled over to him, tears in her eyes, blood dripping down the front of her shirt, and collapsed into Natsu's embrace. "Natsu, they... they've got her, I couldn't..." She broke off, sobbing into him. Natsu stiffened, realizing something.

"Lucy," he said quietly. "Where is Nashi?"

Lucy shook her head, continuing to sob, and Natsu's blood ran cold. "Oh, no. _No._ Luce, tell me she's not - "

"N-not _dead,"_ Lucy cut him off. "But they captured her! The dark guild - they've got her right now, in their headquarters - "

No sooner had the words left her mouth than Natsu went rigid. He pulled away from her, looking his wife right in the eye, and said quietly, "if I'm not back in three days, come after me. But don't come alone."

Lucy's eyes watered. _"You_ can't go alone, Natsu! I'll come with you right now, we'll rescue her together - "

"No." Natsu shook his head. "I'll be fine. Wait for me, Luce - I'll be back. Remember. Three days. And you'd better get that wound take care of," he added, eyes softening as he gazed at the deep gash in Lucy's stomach: not fatal, but certainly painful.

She nodded, wiping her eyes. "R-right."

And off he went, in pursuit of the dark guild that had attacked Fairy Tail, destroyed the guild hall and most of Magnolia, and eventually been driven off - with Natsu and Lucy's four-year-old daughter.

... ... ...

Natsu stormed the dark guild, knocking them out as quickly as they showed up. His fists were blazing, and his eyes were dark and unforgiving.

The two unspoken, but widely known, rules of Natsu Dragneel: 1) don't mess with his mate. 2) don't mess with his daughter.

Considering Lucy had been badly injured in the battle and they had captured Nashi, this dark guild had broken both and they were gonna pay.

With a loud roar, Natsu busted open the doors to another large room, and there she was - his tiny, pink-haired little girl, shackled to the wall and hanging by her wrists. "D-daddy..." she choked out, seeing Natsu. "Help me..."

"Nashi," Natsu whispered, eyes wide. He rushed over to his child, gently wrapping his arms around her. She sobbed into him, and he wasted no time in setting her free, carefully melting the shackles that bound her.

The moment her wrists were free, Nashi lunged for her father, wrapping her arms around his neck and clinging to him like a lifeline. Natsu gently soothed her, though fury bubbled up inside him when he saw the several cuts and bruises on his baby girl's arms and legs. They had been _hurting her._

 _They were not going to get away with that._

"Ah, such a touching reunion..."

Natsu growled, whirling around to face whoever it was, still clutching Nashi tightly to him. It was none other than the dark guild master himself, Giovanni.

Giovanni cackled as Natsu let out a Fire Dragon's Roar, simply pulling out a whip and cracking it. To Natsu's shock, it stopped his flames in their tracks.

"What..." he started, and Giovanni laughed.

"Magic nullification, my dear Natsu. I'm sorry, but any hope you had of rescuing your daughter is gone now." With that, Giovanni lashed out again, and the whip wrapped itself around Natsu's waist.

"Good luck using your magic now," Giovanni cackled.

"You aren't getting Nashi," Natsu growled.

"Oh, I'm afraid we are indeed getting Nashi. The daughter of two of the most powerful mages in the world, both of whom use some of the most rare magic in existence? Yes, she has quite a bit of potential."

Natsu gritted his teeth. Nashi clutched him tighter.

"It's okay, baby," he murmured to her. "Daddy won't let them touch you."

Nashi gave a short nod.

As long as she was in her daddy's arms, she knew she'd be safe.

... ... ...

It had been two days.

Two days of being locked up in a cage, bound by magic nullification ropes, his wrists chained to the wall. He was hardly able to move around at all, but he wasn't letting go of Nashi if his life depended on it. And he hadn't, all of those two days.

The thing was, his life actually _did_ depend on it.

They dragged him out of the cage again, though he didn't let go of Nashi - he was going to hold onto her forever. And he _wasn't_ leaving her in that cage alone.

"Time for your daily torture session, my dear Natsu," Giovanni cackled gleefully as his grunts dropped Natsu on the ground before him.

"It's alright, Nashi," Natsu mumbled into his daughter's ear. "Daddy promises everything will be okay."

"Okay," the little girl whispered, eyes wide.

That was when the whip connected sharply with Natsu's back.

He let out a somewhat stifled groan. The whip came down again, and he let out a cry, unable to hold it in. Nashi started to cry.

The whip came down, again and again. Natsu tried not to show his pain. He couldn't scream. For Nashi's sake.

"Anytime now, you can just give up your little girl..." Giovanni said, bemused.

"Never - AH!"

Giovanni only chuckled at Natsu's pain.

And _that_ was when Lucy broke in.

She, along with Levy and Gajeel, busted through the doors and had Giovanni across the room in a second. Lucy cracked her whip, eyes narrow and furious.

"Don't _touch_ my husband again," she hissed furiously. _"Or_ my daughter."

She summoned Cancer, and while he, Levy, and Gajeel dealt with Giovanni and the grunts that came pouring in, Lucy rushed to her family.

"Luce," Natsu breathed. "I told ya" - he winced - "three days. Only been - two."

She laughed without humor. "Like I was going to listen to that. Two days is way too long for you, Natsu. And you're lucky I _did_ show up."

He grinned weakly. "Guess I am..."

She finally undid the chains binding Natsu and Nashi, and the tiny pink-haired girl flung herself into her mother's arms.

"M-Mama," she choked. "You saved me... and Daddy..."

"Yeah," Lucy said, eyes soft and tone gentle as she stroked her baby's hair. "I sure did."

"Mama, are you and Daddy gonna fight?"

Natsu grinned wickedly, and Lucy returned the look.

"We sure are."

And that was how Giovanni and his dark guild, Team Rocket, learned why you should _never_ mess with the Dragneel family.

 _Ever._

... ... ...

 **So, yup, a little family thing, with plenty of NaLu and adorable wittle Nashi!**

 **Mira: I wanna pinch her tiny cheeks now...**

 **Erza: *eyes widen* That kid... so... adorable... *backs away* I'm discovering a new weakness. MUST... PINCH ADORABLE CHEEKS... AND PET ADORABLE HAIR... ADORABLLLLLLE...**

 ***sweats* Uh... E-Erza... um...**

 **Mira: Hey, where did Gray go?**

 **Erza: ...**

 **Erza: ...**

 **Erza: ...**

 **Erza: ...oh, look, some strawberry cake!**

 **Me and Mira: *sweats***

 **Uh, anyway... see you guys tomorrow, hope you liked all the family-ness! 'Cause I know I love it! :3**

 **(Also, anyone notice the Pokémon stuff?)**


	39. Never Forget

**Oh my gosh, over 300 reviews! THIS IS AMAZING! *faints***

 **Mira: Are you okay?**

 **Erza: *eats cake***

 ***gets back up* Yup, I'm fine. Anyway, thank you SO MUCH guys! Your reviews are like... OXYGEN! Without them, I'd die! Here, I'll demonstrate. *holds breath***

 **Mira: KIT, NO! *slap* YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DIE, YOU STILL HAVE THREE YEARS' WORTH OF ONE-SHOTS LEFT TO WRITE!**

 **Owwwww... *rubs cheek* Fine. Okay. Anyway, all my lovely readers, I love you so much for your reviews. They make me smile, they make me laugh until my sides hurt, they make me raise my eyebrows questioningly, and they make me chuckle evilly. In essence, they are awesome. So thank you all!**

 **Erza: *yawn* should we get on with the chapter now?**

 **Mira: Isn't it Gray who usually says that? On that note, where IS Gray? We had a couple of reviewers asking for him... and begging you not to kill him...**

 **Erza: ...**

 ***swallows nervously* Let's just get on with today's one-shot, we'll worry about the well-being of our friend later.**

 **(this contains spoilers for the Tartaros arc...** ** _and_** **that little part right** ** _after_** **the Tartaros arc that made everybody FURIOUS at Mashima-sensei)**

 **Day Thirty-Nine**

 **Never Forget**

Lucy knew that, whatever happened, Fairy Tail would always somehow remain a part of her life.

When you lose someone precious to you - a cherished friend or family member - you eventually move on and get on with your life. The world keeps turning, life goes on, and eventually you learn to pick yourself up and move with it. But the person you lost remains a part of you, just as if they were still with you, telling their jokes and teasing you and reminding you that, hey, they're still with you.

And you know they always will be.

That's how it was with Mama. That's how it was with Papa, and, most recently, that's how it was with Aquarius.

That's also how it was with Fairy Tail after it disbanded.

Lucy knew she could never forget. She could move on, but she couldn't forget. And with Fairy Tail - well, with Fairy Tail, she couldn't even manage moving on, let alone forget. When Natsu, her best friend and the man she'd inarguably fallen for, left her - with just a freaking _note_ \- and everyone she'd known suddenly scattered to all corners of the earth, Lucy barely had the strength to get back on her feet and try to make a new life for herself.

But she didn't move on.

She followed rumors, paid close attention to the news, and did everything in her power to keep tabs on the people who had left her. She was sure they didn't care to talk to her any more than they cared to stay with Fairy Tail. At Master's word, they had hardly even argued - they just took it, packed up, and left.

Seemed like Lucy was the only one who actually _cared._

And it wasn't like she could go and be a guild by herself.

That was why she never called or wrote - she couldn't bear the thought of a nasty rejection from any of her former friends. She knew if that happened, she'd have no hope of getting back on her feet.

But she wasn't going to let Fairy Tail be just one more family she didn't have anymore. So she held on to hope. She found it difficult to make new friends, considering her job and searching for the old guild members took up all of her time. The only thing that motivated her to get up every morning was the thought that, maybe, Fairy Tail wasn't over yet.

It may have been a foolish hope, but it was something.

And that something was the one thing that made her sure she'd never, _ever_ forget.

... ... ...

 **Because it had to have been hard during that whole year for Lucy, and I wanted to try to delve into how it really was for her. Just imagine how hard it must've been to get up every morning, knowing that her birth family was all dead, and her Fairy Tail family had all abandoned her, and she'd probably never see any of them again.**

 **I guess there wasn't a whole lot of NaLu... it was more Lucy-centric... but I mentioned at one point that she'd fallen in love with Natsu so it counts!**

 **Mira: You talk too much.**

 **Look who's talking!**

 **Mira: I do NOT talk too much!**

 **Erza: I disagree. *eats cake***

 **Mira: *fumes silently***

 **Hey... what about Gray...?**

 **Erza: ... *eats cake***

 **...**

 **Erza: ... *whistles innocently and eats cake***

 **0-0 The implications of your whistling frighten me.**

 **Mira: How are you managing to whistle and eat at the same time?**

 **Happy: That's easy, she's ERZA!**

 **Oooohhh, riiiiggghhht, that explains a lot. *sarcasm***

 **Mira: When did you get here, Happy?**

 **Um... see you guys tomorrow, this is getting too long, bye! ;3**


	40. The End

**Ohmygosh *faints* Empress of Everything just reviewed... like... almost ALL OF MY CHAPTERS! *screams and faints again***

 **Mira: *giggles* She does that a lot... hey Erza, is that blood...? *points to a sword stained with red stuff***

 **Erza: Oh, sorry, I forgot to clean it after the whole fiasco with Gray. Sorry.**

 **0-0 I think I'm right to be worried for his life.**

 **Erza: Oh, you are.**

 **Day Forty**

 **The End**

Every story starts somewhere.

If it's an adventure, or a romance, or even a comedy, every story has a place and a time where it begins.

Lucy's story started a long time ago, in a large house, surrounded by the elated faces of the family servants - along with her mother and father, whose expressions couldn't have been more warm and loving.

Natsu's story, as far as he was concerned, didn't start with his birth, but instead with Igneel. The first time he met that dragon - _that_ was when his story _really_ started.

But their lives and their pasts fell behind him the day they met each other.

That day, Lucy Heartfilia and Natsu Dragneel started writing a new story: the tale that started out as an uncertain journey, then became an enthralling adventure, and finally - _finally_ \- turned into somewhat of a romance story.

But just as every story has a beginning, every story also has an end.

Sometimes, the ending of a book leaves one satisfied; other times, it leaves one clamoring for more. So far, the story of Lucy and Natsu hadn't reached anything close to an ending, and Lucy was happy with that. She wanted their story to continue forever and ever; for their adventure to never end.

And they both knew it couldn't end yet. It just _couldn't._ Not when it felt like so much was just beginning. Every day, new hope blossomed, and a new adventure revealed itself. With each bright sunrise came what felt like a new start to their story, and when the sun set each night, it was no more of an ending than any lost battle was.

After a lost battle, you picked yourself up, trained harder, and swore to do better next time.

After each sunset, you waited with bated breath for the next sunrise, for the continuation of an endless adventure, and for another start to something new.

Lucy and Natsu both knew that the end of their story would come sometime. And they were happy with that - they just knew that they had to make the most of whatever time they had left. And when the end did come, they knew that it wasn't even really going to be an ending. Not for them.

Because Lucy and Natsu were going to make sure that it was not an ending, but a new beginning.

The beginning to a story they had still yet to discover.

... ... ...

 **So, a short, fluffy drabble! ;3 I liked this one a lot, how 'bout you all?**

 **Mira: Hey, haven't your reviewers all been clamoring for more of "The Princess and the Dragon?"**

 **OH - about that. This Saturday, guys, I promise you'll get Part Two of that one! ;3 I've decided that my stories with Parts will be updated mostly on weekends only, so every Saturday and Sunday, expect those!**

 **Erza: *still cleaning sword***

 **0-0 U-um... anyway... s-see you guys tomorrow? U-uh...**

 **Erza: Gray might have recovered by this time tomorrow. He should be back. (SHOULD be. Emphasis on SHOULD.)**

 **U-um... right... bye, hope y'all enjoyed! ;3**


	41. Boredom

**Okay hi... soooo... the site ain't working somehow... it's either the site, or my wifi... bleeecchhh... I'll just do something small, and hopefully stuff will start working again and I can post this later...**

 **Mira: You sound boooorrrred...**

 **Erza: *eats cake while cleaning sword***

 **Is that all you do?**

 **Erza: *nods, unable to speak through a mouthful of cake***

 **Mira: ...where's Gray, anyway?**

 **Erza: *continues to clean sword***

 **Day Forty-One**

 **Boredom**

Natsu was bored, Lucy was bored, Happy was bored; the original Team Natsu was thoroughly bored, and that was a dangerous thing indeed.

Of course, they had their system of checks and balances. It went something like this: if Happy got a dreadfully cruel, yet humorous idea, Lucy put him in her place with a Lucy Kick. If Natsu either agreed with Happy's plan and intended to carry it out or planned to do something stupid of his own accord, Lucy put him in his place with a Lucy Kick. And if Lucy was bored enough to actually _want_ to attempt something so devilishly funny, well, Natsu and Happy fixed that problem for her.

But when they _all_ had an incurable case of boredom - when they _all_ were in need of some horribly hilarious prank - then their system basically went down the drain, and the rest of the guild had better watch out.

Today, their target was Mirajane Strauss.

The gorgeous Transformation mage had been humming silently to herself and casually cleaning the bar when she realized something.

The grime on the counters was not coming off.

Confused, but not truly upset, Mira resorted to scrubbing harder with her wet rag. Not that it did any good. Irritated now, she scrubbed harder. It was as if the awful brown marks weren't actually dirt and the like, but -

But -

 _Burns._

Some idiot had _burned_ dark brown marks onto Mira's glistening countertops!

Mira clenched her fists. This was not funny. She'd have to deal with a certain dragonslayer later. It was a relatively minor thing, making her gleaming, spotless countertops look permanently dirty - but that was all well - she'd just make Natsu fix it, somehow. Or - _or_ \- oh, better yet, he'd just have to pay to get new counters! Right, this was the _perfect_ excuse, she'd been wanting new counters for _months_ now...

So Mira's cheerful attitude wasn't changed much, not until she walked right into Loke - Lucy's Celestial spirit, of _all_ people to run into! And - hey, he was behind _her_ bar! He had no business being back here, and she intended to tell him so...

"Hey Mira, babe," Loke suddenly murmured, in a voice that would've made most women's stomachs turn somersaults.

Not Mirajane.

"What are you doing here?" she said, scowling. Alright, so maybe she was in a bit of a bad mood from the countertops.

"Just came to address your feelings, you know... I feel the same..."

"My - _feelings_?" Mira said apprehensively, beginning to get a sense of what was happening.

"Yeah, babe," Loke drawled. "Lucy and Natsu came in blabbing all about it, how you'd told Lucy all your feelings for me...the whole _guild_ knows now, I'm sure, and I must say, I return them, quite wholeheartedly!" He flashed her a grin, but Mira hardly noticed. Her blood was boiling now.

"The... _whole_... guild?" she seethed.

"That's right, swee - "

But Loke never finished his sentence, for he quickly became the first of several victims of Mira's wrath.

And of course, once the entire guild had recovered from Mirajane's attacks, a certain two mages whom we're all quite familiar with became the next victims of the gossip chain...

"So, Lucy, you and Natsu _finally_ got together, I hear?"

The question came from Cana, with raised eyebrows and a suggestive smirk. But the moment Lucy heard the question, she stormed away, screaming at the top of her lungs...

"MIRAJANE STRAUSS, I WILL _KILL_ _YOU_!"

 **... ... ...**

 **Sooooo bored... gonna go read Harry Potter now...**

 **Mira: I'm bored too...**

 **Erza: *sets down the cake* Hopefully, this'll be up today, unless the site stays down... anyway, see you guys tomorrow!**

 **Yup, bye! :D**


	42. Moto-whatnow?

**Soooo... the site's still down, which is weird. Maybe it's just my area, or my wifi, or whatever, but it is. I guess you guys will have to wait till later, or maybe even tomorrow, for yesterday's and today's one-shots... sorry 'bout that!**

 **Mira: *yawns* Is Gray back yet?**

 **Erza: ... *eats cake* Hm, this cake is delicious, you know.**

 ***sweats* Well okay then...**

 **Day Forty-Two**

 **The Moto-** ** _what_** **now?**

It was not Lucy's idea to bring the stupid thing to the guild. That was all on Gray.

The utterly idiotic Ice Mage thought bringing the motorcycle to the guild would be a good idea. Well, he was _wrong._ Everybody seemed to want to try it out and wreck the guild with it, in turn. And that meant Natsu too.

"I want to ride the moto-thingy," the pink-haired boy whined. "Gray, stop cutting!"

"I'm not cutting!"

"You are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am NOT!"

"Are TOO!"

 _"AM NOT!"_

 _"ARE T - "_

The would-be brawl was interrupted by Erza, whose very presence made the two rivals cower.

Lucy walked in, took in the chaos of the guild, and made to leave again - but she was stopped by Natsu, who grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the front of the line, shoving everyone else aside. "C'mon Luce, you're riding it too!"

"WHAT?!"

And thus they ended up speeding through the guild, destroying everything, and positively smushing Gajeel and Gray both. (To this day, Natsu claims it was an accident. However, to this day, no one believes him, of course.) Lucy almost flew off once or twice, but Natsu's quick reflexes saved her from a painful trip to the infirmary.

Of course, when Master came in and everyone needed somebody to blame, they somehow ended up with their fingers pointed at Lucy - though, as she will stubbornly repeat, it was _not_ her idea, it was _Gray's,_ and that moto-whatnow was _not_ a joyride _at all_ , and she was forced to deny rumors that she and Natsu had spent the entire time making out, Mavis knows how _that_ got around.

Yeah... _not_ her idea.

... ... ...

 **Mira: The site's still down! *fumes angrily***

 **No it's not. It must be my computer or my wifi or just my area or something. Someone else just updated, so it can't be down...**

 **Erza: *sighs and tosses away the fork and empty plate* That cake was good...**

 ***yawns* Anywho... see y'all tomorrow, I HOPE! :(**


	43. Sharpies

**YES! FINALLY! THE SITE'S WORKING AGAIN!**

 **Mira: Oh, good.**

 **Erza: We've reached 350 reviews!**

 **Aww, I really do love you guys... ^-^**

 **Day Forty-Three**

 **Sharpies**

Natsu was a moron.

Natsu was stupid.

Natsu was an idiot.

Natsu was an imbecile.

Natsu had little to no common sense.

And Natsu was, indeed, _very_ reckless.

This was common knowledge, of course. But nobody suspected that Natsu would be enough of a senseless, reckless, moronic, stupid, idiotic imbecile to actually go and vandalize Lucy's apartment.

He seemed to enjoy it. According to Happy. He also had the delusion that Lucy would like it when she got home. According to Happy. But Happy also said that Natsu had _kissed_ one of his Sharpie drawings on the wall, actually, had an entire _make_ _out_ _session_ with this particular drawing, so the guild concluded that Happy could no longer be considered a reliable source of information.

When Lucy did get home, though...

"Natsu?" she called out uncertainly.

It was quiet.

 _Too_ quiet.

She entered her bedroom and screamed.

It was covered, floor to ceiling and everything in between, in multicolored Sharpie scribbles. And Natsu was sitting, looking proud, at the center of it all.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" she screeched. "WHAT ON EARTHLAND DID YOU DO?!"

"I drew pictures, Luce," he said with a grin. "See, thi - "

"OH DON'T YOU SMILE AT ME!" she continued to scream, and Natsu seemed to realize his blond friend was _not_ pleased. "YOU _DESTROYED_ MY APARTMENT! HOW _COULD_ YOU, NATSU?! _HOW COULD YOU_?!"

Natsu paled. "Lucy, see, I was only trying to - "

 _"OH NO!_ I DON'T WANNA HEAR ANOTHER _WORD_ OUT OF YOUR MOUTH! YOU - "

"Lucy, _listen to me!"_

She paused for a moment in her rant.

"I thought you'd like it," Natsu admitted sheepishly. "I, er - I thought you'd want some cute decorations, so I tried to draw pictures." He flushed with embarrassment. "I guess they don't look too good, huh? I tried to do you and me, and all of the memories and stuff we've had together..."

Lucy froze.

She looked closer at a few of the drawings and began to soften. Natsu wasn't half bad at drawing. They looked like scribbles to her, in her fit of rage, but she realized now that they were actually relatively good sketches of all of their wonderful adventures.

"Thank you, Natsu," she found herself whispering. "That's so... sweet."

Though one picture of her did look suspiciously wet. She wondered why.

It probably had nothing to do with what Happy had said earlier, of course.

Nothing at all.

 **... ... ...**

 **Mira: *giggles* Aww...**

 **Gray: Ugh, more romance stuff?**

 **GRAY! *tackles him* YOU'RE BAAAAAAAAACK!**

 **Gray: Urgh, yeah, now gitoff me...**

 ***climbs off him and grins* Well... now I get to post all these, and Gray's back. Hope I made you guys happy! See y'all tomorrow!**


	44. The Great Day of Cake

***hums quietly***

 **Mira: *yawns***

 **Erza: *stabs a Gray-shaped dummy with sword***

 **Gray: WHY DOES THAT THING HAVE MY FACE?!**

 **Erza: *evil glare* You realize I still haven't forgiven you for the act of sacrilege you committed.**

 **Gray: *snorts* Sacrilege? I wouldn't go that far, it was only c-c-c... *sees Erza's face and sweats***

 **Erza: Only** ** _what,_** **Gray?**

 **Gray: Only the... most amazing and wonderful food on the... p-planet?**

 **Erza: That's better. On with the story?**

 **Mira: *complaining* You guys are taking up all of the a/n...**

 **Day Forty-Four**

 **The Great Day of Cake**

Erza announced a holiday on May 24th. This holiday, she proclaimed before the whole of the guild, was to be called the "Great Day of Cake" from that day forth, and thereby was referred to as such, for of every member of the guild at that time, none was foolish enough to actually _disagree_ with _Erza..._

This proclamation, however, was made once and only once by Erza herself, in the days that many of Fairy Tail's more current members led lives quite separate from said guild. Every new member, from then on, was to learn three major rules upon entrance of the guild.

The first being, as everyone knew almost immediately, destroying things is okay, and those idiots in the Magic Council are a bunch of cock-and-bull. Don't bother with them.

The second was to not get on Mirajane's nerves. Sweet though she may seem, if you intend to rile her up and get away with it, you've got another thing coming.

And the third was, of course, to never forget the Great Day of Cake. Or else be subjected to the wrath of Erza Scarlet...

And nobody - even when she was barely ten years old, _nobody_ \- wanted to be on the receiving end of such wrath.

It just so happened that Lucy, upon entering the guild, wasn't warned of these three rules. The first two became evident in time; the first was realized about five minutes after she'd been a member, and the second was something a bit more gradual. But the third...

Well, how was she expected to know of the third rule until May 24th came along?

And when this day did come along, well, it didn't take all that long to find out.

"Alright, listen up!" Erza was ordering as Lucy walked in. "We'll begin with the International Anthem of Cake - Lucy! You're late!" Erza barked, eyes glinting dangerously. "In formation, NOW!"

"H-huh?" Lucy stammered, clearly shocked by the perfect rows that had been formed by the guild. Fairy Tail was the opposite of orderly, how on Earthland had Erza managed such a feat?

But interrupting her thoughts was the calloused hand that pulled her along, shoving her into formation; the cheeky grin that assured her, indeed, that this was nothing short of normal; and the voice that reassured her it was just another case of Erza being Erza.

Oh, Mavis. Natsu had _no idea_ what his voice did to Lucy these days...

"S'all right, Luce," he whispered, grinning. "Erza does the same thing, every year... Great Day of Cake, I think."

To which Lucy rolled her eyes, commented that she should have expected as much, and immediately received a retort from Natsu, as he called her weird.

Erza continued to bark orders at them all day ("It's a cake! Quickly, praise its lovely fluffiness and the cool, creamy texture of its icing; we mustn't offend the cake gods!") ("GOODNESS, A STRAWBERRY CAKE, OH, THIS REQUIRES NOTHING LESS THAN RECITING THE ANTHEM MULTIPLE TIMES!") and thoroughly embarrass them before the entire town of Magnolia.

Not that said town had not long been entirely accepting of Fairy Tail's often ridiculous antics.

But, despite all the strangeness of the day, when Lucy finally managed to sneak away from the guild and find refuge in her home, one thing surprised her that bloody well shouldn't have. In all the ridiculous happenings, Lucy had not at all been expecting the one thing that never failed, whatever odd holiday it may be.

And this was the simple fact that Natsu somehow managed to be sitting on her bed waiting for her, to cheerfully greet her the moment she was home.

Don't tell Natsu, but that might have been the best part of Lucy's day - not for the first time, either.

... ... ...

 **Don't even ask, okay? It's so late, and I was up at 4:30 am this morning. SO. SO. LATE. And SO. SO. EARLY.**

 ***faints of sheer exhaustion***

 **Mira: *cheerful* And by the way... thank you for all your reviews, lovely little readers, yes you are, oh yes you are - *pinches all your cheeks***

 **Gray: Mira... stop being weird.**


	45. The Pricness and the Dragon, Part Two

**Alright guys... it's here... Saturday, and The Princess and the Dragon, like I promised!**

 **Mira: YAY! We finally get to see what happened after that stupid, awful cliffhanger!**

 **That's right!**

 **Gray: Good... I was wondering if you'd ever get around to it.**

 **Erza: How many parts will there be, anyhow?**

 **Oh, just the first one and then this one, so, two. So that means this'll be a long one. ;3**

 **Day Forty-Five**

 **The Princess and the Dragon, Part Two**

Lucy awoke in a soft, warm place.

Her mind was foggy, and there was a pounding in her head, just behind her eyes. She groaned slightly and tried to move. Big mistake - her whole body screamed with pain. Lucy took a shuddering gasp.

Where was she? It felt so soft... so _beautifully_ soft. Maybe this was what clouds felt like. Was she on a cloud?

Her eyelids felt like they'd been glued together. She managed to open them and cast a fleeting glance around the room.

It was familiar somehow.

Her bedroom?

Yes, that was it. Her bedroom, and her soft warm bed.

Her eyes felt crusty, everything was groggy, and her head pounded... she couldn't move for the pain it caused her... it felt as though she'd been badly hurt, then fell asleep for a long time.

No - she couldn't, she thought suddenly.

She _couldn't_ have slept for very long. She just couldn't. Not when he needed her...

And that was when it all came crashing back to her, and she gasped, not in pain, but in shock. _Natsu._ He was a dragon. He'd been caught by the king's forces - by _her father's_ forces, she realized with a start.

And Natsu _needed her._

Lucy clenched her fists tightly before forcing herself into a sitting position. Again, her body screamed with pain, but she ignored it. She had to be strong, for Natsu's sake...

The door to her bedroom was pushed open, and a portly little maid came in, pushing a cart with several trays on it. "Your breakfast, dear," the woman called sweetly. "It's good to see you've woken, m'lady."

Lucy blinked, taking in the first tray - French toast, whipped cream, strawberries...

A plan formed in her mind.

... ... ...

All Natsu could hear was Wendy's deep, even breathing, and Happy purring beneath his calloused hand. Happy, the little blue cat he'd rescued on the morning before his last meeting with Lucy; the cat he'd planned to introduce to Lucy, but he was captured.

He trusted her. He knew he trusted her. For a fleeting moment, when those guards had shown up, he'd thought she had betrayed him; but then she had taken all those hits for him... Natsu clenched his fists. He shouldn't have doubted her. And now, he could only pray that she lived through her injuries.

It had been two days now since his capture. He'd been relieved beyond words to see that Wendy was alice, furious at the way she'd been treated, and constantly anxious over two things: when he and Wendy were going to be executed - miserable as it was, the thought lingered, and Natsu knew it had to be soon anyway - and if Lucy was alright.

He'd probably never see her again, except for a glance or two at his execution.

And that thought hurt.

Because he knew he'd fallen in love.

Suddenly, there was a light. Dim torches lit the halls throughout the day and night, of course, but now there was something brighter. A steady light.

And then there she was.

There in front of him, beautiful golden hair falling over her shoulders, big brown eyes concerned and relieved at the same time, a lantern held high in her hand, was Lucy.

"Natsu," she whispered, and he heard the tears in her voice. He flung himself forward, and then they were kissing through the small gap between two bars, their arms wrapped around each other. He felt hot tears trickling down her cheek, causing a sharp pang in his chest. He didn't want her to cry. That was the last thing he wanted.

They pulled back. "Luce," he choked out, his voice hoarse. She handed him something - it was a soft, sweet kind of bread, French toast, he realised, and ate it gratefully.

"I-I'm so glad you're okay..." she replied.

He laughed without humor. "Not for long. Who knows when they'll finally get rid of Wendy and me," he muttered.

"Don't say that," Lucy replied, a little sharply. "You aren't going to die, and neither is your sister."

He frowned dubiously, and she continued, "I have a plan, you know. I was walking down here and heard some people talking. They - they plan to execute Wendy tomorrow" - Natsu choked on the French toast - "and you in about three day's time. That means we've got today, and that's it, to get you out."

Natsu shook his head, dread mounting in his stomach. "Lucy, no one's ever escaped these dungeons - "

"No one's ever had the princess on their side, have they?" she cut in, smirking slightly.

His eyes widened.

She did have a point...

He glanced over at the peacefully sleeping Wendy, and the tiny kittens Charle and Happy lying beside her. He took in the small, innocent smile she wore as she dreamed; her long blue tresses, which she'd let grow for more than five years now, to his protest; the way her pale hands tightly clasped the pendant he'd given her years ago, the one she always wore, even in sleep.

He knew then that he couldn't just give up. Not now. Because if he did give up, those sweet brown eyes would never again look so adoringly up at him, and those small hands would never again weave their way into his when she was afraid.

He needed to hope, and he needed to escape, for Wendy. For his little sister.

And he also knew that if he gave up now, he'd be dead in a few days' time. The prospect of death was something he feared even more now that he'd found Lucy. Lucy, the woman he loved, the angelic girl who loved him in return despite his... ah... abnormality.

If he was dead, he'd never get to hold her again, never get to kiss her like he had moments ago.

The chains at his wrists prevented him from using any kind of dragon magic, but he wasn't helpless - no, Natsu was far from it.

He was going to get out of here.

He had to, for the sake of the two people he loved more than anything else in the world.

And Natsu found himself smiling.

... ... ...

 **Ah, so I lied. I'm gonna make y'all wait for Part Three to find out the ending. ;3**

 **Mira: meanie...**

 **Gray: *yawn***

 **Erza: Hmm... Ever plan to updat What Makes Us?**

 **Tomorrow, hopefully. Anyway... see y'all tomorrow for some little Natsu and little Lucy, and that WMU update! Baaaaiiiii!**


	46. AU: Little Natsu and Lucy, Part Two

**Okay, hi.**

 **So... I finished the Harry Potter series last night. Well, really this morning at 5:30 am, because I stayed up to read it.**

 **I.**

 **Hate.**

 **J.K. Rowling.**

 ***sobs* HOW COULD SHE KILL HIM?! HOW COULD SHEEEEEEEE?! He was one of my favorite characters! *sobs harder* Waahhh...**

 **Mira: *pats on the back***

 **Gray: This is why I don't bother with fandoms.**

 **Erza: Gray, you ARE a fandom. I mean, we are. Well, we're in one, so I guess we kind of are one. I mean, I'm not entirely sure.**

 **Meeehhhh... *wipes eyes* Start the chapter now?**

 **Day Forty-Six**

 **AU: Little Natsu and Lucy, Part Two**

Natsu wasn't sure how long they walked for, but it felt like forever. Lucy's hand was in his the entire time, and he wasn't sure why, but it felt kinda reassuring. Did people do that with each other a lot? Hold hands?

Maybe it was only when they cared about each other a lot. You know, like - love. That kind of thing.

Natsu wondered, to himself, if he loved Lucy. They had only just met a couple weeks ago, but there was something about her - as if there was a teeny part of him missing, but he never really noticed it until now, and she filled up the gap.

Kind of like with Igneel.

Natsu felt a sharp pang in his chest. Igneel left a very large gap in Natsu. There was a part of him specially reserved for his dragon father, and Igneel had taken that part away now, by leaving him.

Lucy may have filled up part of Natsu, yeah, and maybe he cared about her a lot after being on the run with her for those two-ish weeks, but she couldn't fill up the gap that Igneel left.

That was okay, though.

Because Natsu knew he was going to find Igneel, and the part of him that was missing; he was going to become whole again.

 **... ... ...**

 **Two Weeks Later**

 **... ... ...**

"Nnnnnnatsu...?"

Her groggy voice was the first thing he heard as he gained consciousness. In a flash, Natsu was up, grinning, and bouncing around excitedly.

"Hey, Luce! Goooood morning! Guess what? Guess what today is, huh?"

"Mmmm... I dunno," she yawned.

Natsu frowned. "Yes you do."

"Sleepy..."

The pink-haired boy only grinned. "You weirdo, why's it always take so long for you to wake up, huh? You look half-asleep to me! Wake uuuuup already!"

She fought back another yawn and stood, brushing off her pink dress and running her small fingers through her tangled hair. "Fine... I'm up..."

"Better," Natsu said approvingly, and saw her smile out of the corner of his eye. He blushed a little, but ignored it and repeated, "so guess what day it is!"

She tapped one finger on her lips. Natsu had noticed that she did that every time she thought about something. He gazed at her for a moment, and she caught his eye and smiled widely. He returned with a toothy smile of his own.

"Today," she said, obviously proud to have remembered, "we are going into the town M-Ma-Magnoli-a!"

His face lit up. "Ding ding ding, we have a winner!"

She giggled; after all, it had been Lucy herself who had taught Natsu the silly phrase. In the four weeks they'd been traveling together, they had learned a lot from each other. Natsu taught Lucy how to live in the middle of the woods, and how to fish, and how to start a fire - okay, she didn't really learn anything about the last one, considering she still couldn't breathe fire from her lungs.

And in return, Lucy showed Natsu her keys and how to use them - he claimed Aquarius was mean, but she really wasn't, argued Lucy. She also showed him how to live with manners, which was what normal people did.

"Whaddaya mean, _normal_ people?" Natsu had retorted. " _I'm_ a normal people, right?"

"You're _not_ a normal people," Lucy had responded simply, fiddling with one pigtail. "I'm not either, anymore. We aren't normal 'cause normal people don't live in the woods and breathe out fires. But that's okay, we should still use manners, anyway."

And now, finally, they had reached the town of Magnolia. Lucy wanted to come here because of the trees.

"My mama told me all the stories about the pretty trees," Lucy sighed happily. "I always wanted to come here."

"Great!" Natsu cheered. "After we see those trees, we can go find Igneel, right?"

"Oh, yes!" Lucy agreed eagerly. "A real adventure, right? We'll find your dragon daddy and he can be my dragon daddy too!"

"Yeah, perfect," Natsu said with a grin. "Na-ka-ma, right?"

"Nakama?" Lucy tilted her head. "What's nakama?"

"It's family," Natsu responded. "N-na-ka-ma... nakama. You're my nakama and I love you."

Lucy blushed and smiled, then - to Natsu's shock - stepped forward to wrap her arms around him.

"I-I love you to, Natsu," she said quietly, in his ear.

He grinned and pulled back. "Okay - c'mon, let's go!"

And so they set off for Magnolia.

 **... ... ...**

The old man had met them by accident, but now that they were in Fairy Tail, Lucy and Natsu had to agree that it was one of those happy accidents.

They both liked happy accidents, because it was how they met each other - and the rest of the guild.

Cana was the little girl who drank too many juice boxes. Levy was the one who liked books, and she and Lucy became best friends right away. Gray was the annoying kid who kept taking his shirt off - well, Natsu called him annoying; Lucy actually found him rather nice.

Jet and Droy were the boys who liked Levy too much. Erza was the scary girl that Lucy had started to avoid. Mirajane was the other scary girl that Lucy also avoided - that is, until they turned out to be super nice and became her friends. Lisanna, Mira's little sister, had a personality almost identical to Lucy's, and they hit it off right away. Elfman was Mira and Lisanna's brother and Lucy found him rather funny.

It wasn't long before Lisanna, Lucy, and Levy became the inseparable trio. In fact, the only times they ever separated was when Lucy and Natsu went on a job alone - which happened a lot - or when Lisanna went on a job with her siblings, or Levy with Jet and Droy.

"This is the best place ever," Lucy sighed happily. "I love my Fairy Tail nakama."

Natsu grinned and grabbed her hand roughly, but it was meant as a gesture of affection. Lucy smiled and blushed a little. "I love my Fairy Tail nakama too, Luce," Natsu added with that lopsided smile of his. "And I love you."

Some would argue that they were too young to know what love really was - but I'd say they were the perfect age. Unwavering, selfless devotion; caring more about someone else than you do yourself - that was love, if anything was, and that was what Lucy, Natsu, and the rest of Fairy Tail felt for each other.

And that was also the definition of the bond between Natsu and Lucy alone.

They loved each other.

Plain and simple.

 **... ... ...**

 **Ahh, some refreshingly adorable little kid love...**

 **Mira: *giggles* So cuuuuuuuute...**

 **Gray: Seriously?! I got ONE mention, and that was calling me ANNOYING?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!**

 **Erza: *brandishes sword* Are you possibly _whining,_ Gray? **

**Gray: *whimpers* No...**

 **Also... I would like to thank jasminewenxinlu for reviewing this story all the way up to 400 BLAZIN' REVIEWS, AAHHHH, *faints* guys, you are amazing and I love you all, okay? Okay. Thank you, each and every one of you. So. Flippin'. Much.**

 **So, anyway, hope y'all liked today's! I thought it was cute, did you? ;D And a random question for my dear reviewers: if you could pick any candy bar in the world to have an endless supply of, what would it be?**


	47. Out of the Question

**Hai! ;3**

 **Sooooo... I realized something. When I posted yesterday's one-shot, I had 400 reviews. And today... I have 422 reviews. That's... 22 reviews... for ONE CHAPTER. *faints* That's, well... a BEAUTIFUL thought for me!**

 **You guys have NO IDEA how COMPLETELY AMAZING you make me feel! I just get this wonderful feeling in my chest, a fluttery lifting feeling that makes me feel like I could fly, and I could rule the world, and accomplish all my dreams! This is my main fic, no question, and my most reviewed out of all of mine... and I mean it when I say that EVERY SINGLE REVIEW you give me means the world to me.**

 **So thank you. Thank you SO MUCH. Because you guys are the loveliest cookies ever and I wouldn't still be writing this without you. ;w;**

 **Mira: Aw, what a heartfelt message...**

 **Gray: Meh. It's too soppy and gushy.**

 **Erza: *eyes flash with anger* GRAY! You are RUINING THE MOMENT!**

 **Gray: Kya! *hides***

 **Oh, Gray... hello there... ... ... ...Why are you hiding behind me?**

 **Gray: ...**

 **Day Forty-Seven**

 **Out of the Question**

"Heya, Luce!"

Lucy looked up, dreading the face she'd see in her window. She didn't want to see him. She couldn't face him, not right now.

They had just gotten back from a job. It had been all of the team - that is, Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Wendy, Charle, Erza, and Gray. They needed to infiltrate a dark guild, Shade Cross, to steal back an artifact for the client.

"That dark guild took it," the client had sobbed. "Oh, my precious artifact! You must return it to me!"

It was clear that the object meant a lot to the client - that would explain the high reward for the job, 450,000 Jewel! - but it also proved difficult to retrieve. At the doors of the dark guild, they had split up: Gray, Erza, and Wendy headed in first, sneaking through the castle-like guild hall in an attempt to locate the artifact. It was supposedly a thin black staff wrapped around the top with white silk.

Meanwhile, Natsu and Lucy waited outside the guild with the two Exceeds. Wendy would take the staff and bring it outside once it had been found, and she, Happy, and Charle would take it to a safe place. Then Erza and Gray would take down the guild from the inside, while Natsu and Lucy stormed it from the outside. They had split up to reduce the risk of getting caught.

Well, the plan had mostly worked.

It had stopped working around the point that Lucy was used as an ultimatum.

And oh, what a dreadful ultimatum she made.

Natsu had immediately frozen on the spot as the woman holding her held a threatening hand above her head, her spell half-formed.

"You move one muscle, it'll take less than a second for her to be dead," she sneered, and Natsu hardly dared to breathe.

"Luce," he choked out.

"Now, you freeze right there, and let my dear comrades kill you. Then we'll let her go."

Natsu knew what he was going to do. He tore his eyes away from Lucy's, who was silently begging him not to agree, but he wasn't about to let them kill her. No, he'd sooner die than let that happen.

And it looked like he was going to die, now.

"Okay," he muttered, feeling defeated. "Okay - "

"NO!" Lucy shrieked, lashing out with a sharp kick aimed at her holder. The woman nearly dropped her, but a scowl formed across her face and she determinedly kept her hold.

"Oh, that's it - "

And as she held her hand higher above Lucy's head, prepared to strike down, several things happened at once.

Natsu charged. The rest of Shade Cross closed in. Natsu knocked the woman's hand aside. Lucy was thrown to the ground. The spell hit a wall nearby, nearly collapsing onto them. And a pair of rough, calloused hands dragged her out of the danger zone.

She had refused to speak to him after that.

And now here he was, climbing through the window, sitting himself happily on her bed, acting like _nothing had happened..._

Well, to _hell_ with that act. He had agreed to let them _kill_ him, for Mavis's sake! And he thought she'd just take it lying down?!

"You idiot," she hissed under her breath, knowing full well that he'd be able to hear her, no matter how quietly she said it.

He looked a little hurt for a moment. "Luce, what - "

"Oh, don't you start that with me!" she cried, furious. She realized her voice was trembling, and only got more angry. "How - how _could_ you, Natsu? How _could_ you?" She was sobbing now, sobbing as she spoke, but she kept going. She kept talking. Because she had more to say.

"You were just gonna - let them - let them _kill you!_ Natsu, you have _no idea_ how it would have felt to see you _die_ in front of me like that, you - "

"Yes, I do."

When he spoke, it was quiet, but Lucy heard it, and she froze.

"I do know how it would have felt, Luce. 'Cause I did see you die in front of me. Remember?"

His tone was slightly bitter, but she heard the pain hidden behind the anger. Immediately, her defenses fell.

He was talking about when she - when her future self - died at the hands of the future Rogue.

And yeah, she remembered pretty well.

"Lucy - what else was I supposed to do?" Natsu said, shaking his head, his voice so broken that Lucy forgave him right away. "I wasn't about to watch you die again! I already saw it once - I - I'd probably kill myself if you died again, 'cause this time, it wasn't Lucy from the future. It was _you._ You're _my_ Luce. I couldn't live if you were dead, Luce!"

Her hands were shaking.

"That's out of the question, Natsu."

He looked up.

"Out of the question. You would _not_ kill yourself if I died, you hear me?"

He nodded feebly. He shouldn't have said that, he knew. It was too extreme. "Still, it's not like I was about to let you die," he argued, reverting back to the original topic.

"Well, _I_ wasn't about to let _you_ die!" she responded furiously.

"Well, then, I guess it's a good thing we didn't die," he replied, grinning, and Lucy blinked. Then, ever so slowly, she smiled.

"Yeah," she admitted. "I guess it is."

And they embraced each other, all anger forgotten.

"Next time, you won't let them kill you, okay?" Lucy murmured in his ear.

"Well, I'm not gonna just let them kill _you."_

"Are you saying you wouldn't have been able to rescue me?" she challenged, smiling slightly.

"Well, sure I could've!"

Lucy snuggled tighter into him. "Right. So it's settled then. You're not gonna surrender like that next time?"

He pulled her closer, resting his chin on her head. "Of course not, Luce. Me, give up? That's out of the question!"

She laughed, and he knew everything was okay again.

 **... ... ...**

 **And there ya go!**

 **Mira: *yawn***

 **Gray: Hey, you never said which candy was your favorite?**

 **Oh, didn't I? Well, REESE'S PEANUT BUTTA CUPS FOR DA WIIIINNNNN BRO!**

 **Mira: *sweats* You're awfully worked up.**

 **Gray: Well, she does that caps-lock-scream thing a lot, I thought you'd have noticed by now, it really isn't uncommon...**

 **Erza: *waving with fork, which has a full slice of cake on it* Bye, everyone, see you tomorrow!**


	48. Yogaaaaaa!

**Day Forty-Eight**

 **Yogaaaaa!**

Lucy had a new craze.

It's not like it's an uncommon thing - Lucy went through all kinds of crazes. I could tell you all about them. Most of them I are extremely weird, of course, because Lucy is a weirdo. Doesn't everyone know that? Lucy = weirdo. It's algebra.

Er - okay, I'm going a little off-topic. Anyway, Lucy had a new craze, and it was the weirdest craze ever, at least that I'd seen. I mean, this one was _beyond_ weird. Weirder than weird! Even for a weirdo like Lucy!

I found out about it when Happy and I walked into her apartment again - well, okay more like climbed through the window - and caught her in the weirdest, most painful-looking pose I'd ever seen her in.

Trust me.

It was _weird._

"Lucy?" I sputtered. Immediately, she dropped the pose, and fixed me with a hard stare.

"What is it, Natsu?" she asked, sounding annoyed. "And whatever it is, why is it so important that you had to break into my apartment? _Again?"_

Happy giggled. "Cause he _liiiii-"_

"Shut it, cat."

"I - I - " Her stupid pose thing made me forget entirely what I had been about to say to her. "What - the - _heck_ \- were you just doing?"

She scowled. "Yoga."

"Yoooooo... gaaaaa..." I frowned at the funny word.

Happy grinned. "Yogaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"That's a weird word... what's it mean, stretching in painful positions?"

She sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. That was kinda cute. "Yep, pretty much."

I smirked. "Weirdo. Who does that?"

"Lots of people, actually," she shot back. "Why don't you try it? You might like it!"

I scoffed. "Like it? As if."

"Well, might as well try it."

"...fine."

And that was how I ended up sitting on a mat with my legs and arms tangled up in themselves, and I found myself to be stuck.

"Lucy, heeellllp," I whined.

Happy cackled and chortled like it was the funniest thing in the world (WHICH IT WASN'T) and didn't bother to help me at all, the little piece of -

"Ugh, Natsu, you're doing it wrong!" Lucy sighed, exasperated.

I tried to move my arm and winced. "Oww... help me fix it then!"

She bit her lip.

"...you know, that is awfully amusing.

 _"Lucy!"_

 **... ... ...**

 **Mira: *laughing* Oh, man, I need a picture!**

 **You need a picture of everything. *smirks***

 **Mira: Well, yeah. It's for my couples-to-be scrapbook of course! It has all the sweetest, cutest, most awful and embarrassing photos of our guild's almost-couples ever taken!**

 **Erza: ...**

 **Gray: ...**

 **Mira: Did I say that out loud?**

 **The rest of us: YES.**

 **Mira: Hehehehe... oooooooops.**

 **Erza: ...*cough* Er... anyway... see you tomorrow, guys...**

 **^w^ Hope you enjoyed!**

 **Gray: Please tell me there's nothing in that scrapbook about Juvia...**

 **Mira: What? I've got almost as many of you two as I do of Natsu and Lucy!**

 **Gray: *knocks self out***


	49. Pokey Mans

**Salvete, omnes!**

 **Mira: What?**

 **Gray: What?**

 **Erza: What?**

 **Mira: ...couldn't you have just written that as "Everyone: What?"**

 **Yes, I could've, but I didn't want to! :3**

 **Gray: Anyway... what did you say up there?**

 **Oh, Latin stuff.**

 **Erza: *strawberry cake spit-take* YOU SPEAK LATIN?!**

 **Yes. Also, strawberry cake spit-take rhymes!**

 **Gray: That's irrelevant.**

 **I know it is, I'm the master of irrelevant comments. :3 Anyway... welcome to Day 49, everyone, and hope y'all enjoy!**

 **Day Forty-Nine**

 **Pokey Mans**

For once in her life, Cana was addicted to something other than alcohol.

When Natsu came by Lucy's apartment to mention it to her, the blond performed a perfect spit-take. She did so for two reasons; the first being that Natsu had dropped from her ceiling like Spiderman the moment she walked in the door, and the second being the news itself.

 _"Other_ than booze?" Lucy cried, incredulous. "Who IS this person and WHAT have they done with our guild member?!"

Natsu's eyes widened. "They replaced Cana?" he gasped. "But - no! That's impossible! WE HAVE TO RESCUE HER, LUCY!"

But the Celestial mage just sighed and rolled her eyes. "No, Natsu," she said, shaking her head. "It's only an expression."

"Oh... oh. Right. Okay."

 **... ... ...**

They arrived at the guild hardly a minute later; after all, Lucy was determined to find out what, exactly, had captivated Cana to the point that it was safe to say she now liked it more than her beer.

"Cana!" Lucy yelled the moment they slammed the doors open.

"Lucy!" several voices responded, pleased to see her, though Cana's voice was not among these. In fact, Lucy couldn't see Cana in the guild at all. No, all she could see were several guild members clustered around a small table...

 _Oh._

Lucy fought her way through the crowd to the center, and as she suspected, there sat Cana.

As she _didn't_ expect, there sat Cana with her nose buried in a red DS.

"Cana?" Lucy asked uncertainly.

"Go, Blastoise," Cana mumbled at the screen. "Yeah... show that fire freak Blaine who's boss..."

Lucy's brow furrowed. "Er, what?"

"Ahahaha..." Cana laughed, but it sounded slightly crazy. "Oh, yeah, he's worse than Natsu. He's an old dude!"

Lucy found herself sweating nervously. "Cana, are you..."

Cana looked up, finally noticing Lucy. "AHAHAHA!" she laughed, definitely sounding crazy this time. "POKEMON, LUCYYYYYYYYYYY - "

Lucy backed away. "C-Cana... what..."

"POKEMONNNNNNNNNNNNN - "

 **... ... ...**

 _"Three days?!"_

Lucy stared at Natsu, incredulous.

"According to everyone, well, yeah," Natsu said with a shrug. "No sleep, hardly any food, and hardly any beer at all. For three days. Because of that Pokey Man stuff."

"Pokemon," Lucy corrected immediately. "Not Pokey Man."

"Whatever," Natsu muttered. "I just think it's stupid, after all, Cana's being so weird... because of these Pokey Mans! So I don't like them."

Lucy bit her lip. "It isn't stupid... I actually played it as a kid, in fact..."

Natsu just rolled his eyes. "Is too."

"Is _not_!"

"Is too..."

"You know what? I'm going to play Pokemon. And you're going to play it with me. And you'll see - it is _not_ stupid!"

"Uh huh... I'm sure."

 **... ... ...**

"Aww, he's so cute, my Pikachu loves me - look, Natsu! Look! HE'S GIVING ME HEARTS! SEE?! HE'S HEART-ING ME!"

She was playing Pokemon Version HeartGold, in which the player's Pokemon walk alongside them on the screen... and her Pikachu seemed to be "heart-ing" her, which she seemed to adore.

Natsu did not adore it.

"Aww, look, he's so adorable... I love my Pokemon so much... sometimes I think I love them more than anyone in the world!"

It took about two seconds for the DS to be smashed into a smoking pulp on the ground. Lucy screamed. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"

Natsu shrugged. "Well, you said you like Pokemon more than anyone in the world. That means you love them more than me, right? But they can't love you back! They're on a screen! That means you're loving something that doesn't care, I can't let that happen, now, can I?"

With that, he walked away, and Lucy was left to try and make sense of what he'd said.

"...w- _what?"_

Especially the part where Natsu mentioned the words "you," "love," and "me" in the same sentence.

 **... ... ...**

 **Ah, so there you are! *sighs* I'm kinda sleepy now. Okie, bai, hoped you liked! Vale te, me mirabiles crusta!**

 **Mira: Latin again?**

 ***winks* That's right!**

 **Gray: And it means...?**

 **Goodbye, my wonderful cookies!**


	50. Parking Lot Party

**DAY FIFTY!**

 **Mira: *throws confetti***

 **DAY FIFTYYYYYYYYYYYY**

 **Gray: *sighs***

 **OMIGOSH GUYS** ** _IT'S DAY FIFTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY_**

 **Erza: *continues to eat cake without a care in the world***

 **Mira: Aaaaand this is why we don't give Kit sugar.**

 **Gray: *stares in disbelief* Someone gave her sugar? What idiot did that?**

 **Mira: No one gave her sugar, Gray. We don't give Kit sugar because this - *gestures to me running and shrieking like a maniac* - is what she can be like without the help of sugar.**

 **Gray: *double take***

 **Day Fifty**

 **Parking Lot Party**

It was an honest-to-goodness parking lot party. Lucy shouldn't have been surprised, she'd seen Fairy Tail pull a lot of things, but this was near the top of the list.

She was two hundred percent certain they'd get carted off by the cops any minute now. Seriously. It wasn't like they were going to get away with this! Having a flippin' barbecue in the middle of the Tar-Mart parking lot?

Well, _someone_ was bound to call the police _eventually..._

And Lucy, for one, didn't want to end up in jail. No. That was _the last thing_ she wanted. It would destroy her record, and she'd never get into a good college! Forget her attending one of the most prestigious schools in the country, if she got sent to jail for partying with the wild kids, well... Mavis knew Harvard wouldn't think much of _that._

So Lucy intended to fully ignore the texts that Levy and Natsu and Gray and Mira and everyone were sending her. Even Erza was in on it! Lucy sighed. She would've expected that her redheaded friend wouldn't end up in yet another of the gang's shenanigans, but... well...

She did.

So, yes. Lucy's intent was to stay at home - well, in the school dorm, if that counted as "home," because it was where she lived - and not take any part in the "parking lot party" at all.

But they say the road to help is paved with good intentions.

And besides, Natsu had other ideas.

Lucy knew who it was the moment she heard footsteps coming from behind her without hearing her door open. She knew who it was the moment she heard the telltale _creak_ of her window being pushed open. And she knew she couldn't be mistaken when a pair of warm, rough, calloused hands clamped down on her shoulders.

"Natsu," the blond sighed. "I'm not going."

"Aww, Luce!"

"Nope."

"Mira's cooking!"

"In a parking lot, Natsu."

"It's the best party ever."

"You always say that!"

"Well, this time everyone else thinks so too."

"I don't care if Taylor Lautner showed up and claimed it was the best party ever, I'm not going. It's in a _parking lot._ You'll get _arrested."_

But Natsu only gave her that cocky smile. "So?"

And suddenly, staring at that smile, into those eyes, something strange stirred inside of Lucy.

And she found she didn't care all that much anymore.

"You know what, to heck with it. Fine," she said, sounding exasperated, but smiling. And Natsu didn't miss that smile.

"Yay!" he cheered, grabbing her wrist. "Let's go, Luce!"

And so they went.

In the end, they started a ridiculous fight, raced several shopping carts, barely avoided the cops, and had the time of their lives.

Natsu was right.

It _was_ the best party ever.

... ... ...

 **There ya go! In case you didn't notice, that was an AU, by the way. And slightly inspired by the song "Parking Lot Party." It's a country song. I listen to country a lot...**

 **Mira: *pouts***

 **Gray: What's up, Mira?**

 **Mira: Lucy wasn't tempted to come to the party by my cooking...**

 **Erza: Well, it was a NaLu one-shot, you know, not... MiLu... or something.**

 **Mira: *eyes flash furiously* AND JUST WHAT ARE YOU SUGGESTING?!**

 **...erm, anywayyyy, yeah. Hope you guys liked it! Thanks for reading, and all your reviews, once again, make me feel so happy you wouldn't believe. So thank you for your endless support! I love you all! See ya tomorrow!**


	51. Free

**Hai again guyyyyyys~**

 **Mira: Someone seems happy!**

 **Well, I am happy! I've just had a very long, but very nice, day. :3 Anyone would be happy after a day like mine!**

 **Gray: So you're in a good writing mood, then?**

 **Definitely.**

 **Erza: Good. *eats cake* I expect lovely fluffiness. Can you make it fluffier than THIS ICING? *holds up a forkful of superfluffy icing***

 **I can try! ^w^**

 **Day Fifty-One**

 **(Wow! This far already?!)**

 **Free**

Some people would say being single is being free. At least, that's what Lucy had been told.

For all the dates she'd been on, there were certainly times when she was inclined to believe it. Because sometimes, she was just tired of her boyfriend; sometimes, she wanted to feel the freedom of being single again.

Because really, through all of those dates, it was a search. A search to find The One.

The one who would know her better than she knew herself, the one who would love her no matter what happened, the one who would hold her tight and whisper sweet nothings into her ear, the one who would always tell her what she most needed to hear, the one she'd finally fall in love with.

Or, as she referred to this mystery man whom she had yet to find, simply The One.

So far, she hadn't had much luck finding him. He was out there somewhere - of course he was - but Lucy still had yet to find him and exclaim, "where have you been all my life?"

But then...

Then she came to a shocking realization.

Lucy had found The One quite a long time ago.

He had pink hair, an uncontrollable impulse, an adorable smile, a reckless abandon, a happy-go-lucky demeanor, an insensitive and dense mind, and a caring heart.

And she was in love with that idiot.

But!

Natsu was _totally_ not her type - but then, well, what _was_ her type, exactly? Did she have a type?

...yes. The bookish, kind, sensitive, soft-spoken guys. The guys who would remain forever loyal to her. The guys who looked nice, acted nice, and had the nicest heart ever.

But "nice" was a boring word.

Did that make those guys boring?

Anyway, Lucy's type was either that type or the hotties. The total hotties. Now, Natsu was hot for sure - of course he was, duh - but as for the bookish and sensitive type, noooooo, Natsu was most certainly the opposite of that.

But!

That was okay, wasn't it?

Because didn't people say that opposites attract?

And besides, Natsu was all the important things. Loyal. Caring. Protective. And, even though he was usually a bit dense in the romantic department, he _was_ smart. He _was._

And besides, he sure made a great best friend. So who was to say he couldn't be so much more?

Lucy knew she was in love. Head over heels in love. Wasn't sure when it had happened, but it did.

As for telling him - well, that could come later. For now, things were okay between them. For now, friends was enough for Lucy. For now.

Besides, every moment was bliss when she was with Natsu. Life seemed like it was never better when she was with him. For now, what more did she need than that? What more did she need from him than what he had already given her?

No.

She needed more. She wanted more.

She did.

So she decided she'd do something about it.

"Natsu?" she said nervously, approaching him in the guild.

"What's up, Luce?" he replied cheerfully.

"Uh - I, uh... I need to talk to you about something," she confessed. "C-could you come with me?"

He nodded, looking confused, and followed her out the doors of the guild. "Where're we going, Lucy?" he asked curiously.

"Somewhere private," she replied simply. "And alone."

"Okay."

They ended up on the edge of town, in a nice green park, sitting on a bench.

"What'd ya want to talk about, Luce?"

"It's - I - " Lucy froze up for a moment, realizing what she was about to say.

Might as well do it now. Now, while she had the courage. Now, while he was giving her his full attention.

Just do it, she told herself. Just do it.

"Natsu, I'm - in love with you," she finally said, then looked away, a blush creeping furiously across her face.

He was silent.

For several long, long moments, he was entirely silent.

Tears pricked Lucy's eyes.

"I-I guess I'd better go now," she mumbled eventually, getting up to leave. However, a rough, calloused hand grabbed her wrist, pulling her back. "Natsu, what - "

She was stopped by his lips.

She couldn't be sure how long the kiss lasted, but it was certainly the best moment of her life. His lips on hers, his tongue sliding between her teeth, his arms pulling her closer, her hands in his hair.

She was glad they were alone.

Natsu pulled away, a huge grin on his face. "Finally, Luce! I thought you'd never tell me!"

She stared at him, shocked. "Wh-what?"

He laughed. "Well, I'm in love with you too. And I was pretty sure you were. Least, I hoped you were. I was just waiting for you to say something!"

And then Lucy was laughing too.

They both laughed for awhile, feeling like they were floating. They could've been the clouds, they felt so light and happy. The clouds just after a storm, with a rainbow stretching between them, connecting them, binding them together with nothing but happiness.

So, yes. People did say being single was being free.

But if this was love, Lucy was fairly certain it was a million times better. And she knew she wouldn't trade it for the world.

... ... ...

 **Fluffy enough...? :D See you tomorrow, guys!**


	52. Missing You

***yawn* A bit sleepy, but here you are, guys! Day Fifty-Two!**

 **Mira: Yay!**

 **Day Fifty Two**

 **Missing You**

Dear Natsu,

You idiot!

A note? Really? That's ALL you left?

You can't just LEAVE me like that! Well, what are you waiting for? Come back already!

Sincerely,

Lucy

...

Dear Natsu,

I miss you a lot, you know.

I miss your smile. I miss your laugh. I miss the way you made everything seem okay.

I guess I sounded kind of mean earlier. I'm sorry. But I'm still mad.

I just want you to be here. Then everything will be okay. Right? Right. You don't just make everything _seem_ okay. When you're here, I _know_ everything will be okay.

So come back. Please?

With love,

Lucy

...

Dear Natsu,

It's been a month now. An entire month! Can you just come back now?

I'm lonely, Natsu...

Sincerely,

Lucy

...

Dear Mr. Flame Brain,

You really are an idiot.

How could you just leave like that? And not take me with you? You took Happy! What about me? How could you just leave me on my own?

I don't have the guild anymore, Natsu. But I always thought I'd have you. Always.

Now I don't. You left me.

And I'm alone.

You know that, right? Completely alone. I've got no one. My mom's dead, my dad's dead, and now Fairy Tail's gone and you abandoned me.

I know I should make friends, but how? I've already got friends but they all left me. I'm in love with a man who ran out on me and only left a note. So how am I supposed to make more friends? It's not like they'll last any longer!

You have no idea how this feels, Natsu. I can't handle this much longer. Oh, Mavis. Please come back. Please come back soon. If you don't, I don't think I'll be able to do anything ever again.

Please...

Sincerely,

A very lost and hopeless Lucy

...

Dear Natsu,

I'm tired.

I'm so tired. I've had the longest week. You wouldn't believe it.

I've got a new job now - something to live off of. You know I'm keeping track of everyone, right? I think I'll talk to them one day. Maybe.

I guess they probably don't want to hear from me anymore. I know you don't. Obviously you don't want anything to do with me anymore, do you?

Of course you can't answer that, though. I can't eve. Send this freaking letter because you didn't tell me where you were going? You just _left!_ Like I didn't matter _at all_ to you...

I hate you, Natsu.

Lucy

...

Natsu,

I miss you so much.

What am I supposed to do when I feel like this?

It hurts, Natsu...

Please come back,

Lucy

...

Natsu,

I think in should stop writing these.

It hurts too much anyway.

It's been eight months now, and not one freaking word from you. I guess you really aren't coming back after all. I should've given up hope awhile ago, I guess.

So, yeah. This is probably my last letter.

Bye,

Lucy

...

Dear Natsu,

I can't stand it.

I can't stand it, Natsu!

I miss you. Oh, I miss you so much.

I was right. I knew I was right. You're really not coming back, are you?

You're not coming back.

I'm never going to see you again.

You have no idea how much that hurts, Natsu... I can't stand that thought. I want to see you again... I just want to see you again.

Is it a bad thing that your smile is a bit more vague in my memories? Is it a bad thing that your voice is harder to recall?

Or is it a good thing?

Because if I forget you, at least it won't hurt so much.

Lucy

...

Natsu,

I give up.

I quit writing these stupid things.

It'll be easier if I forget you anyway.

Love,

Lucy

...

Natsu stared at the letter in his hand.

He'd read them all. Every single one. Now he was shaking, tears brimming in his eyes.

He never had any idea how much he had hurt her.

"N-Natsu?" a groggy voice mumbled, and Natsu's head snapped up. There was Lucy. She looked confused at first, but quickly caught sight of the letters.

Her eyes widened.

But before she could say anything, Natsu was talking. "Luce," he started, barely a whisper. The rest of the words tumbled out on top of each other. "I'm sorry - I'm so sorry, I had no idea, Luce... I had no idea it would hurt you so bad... I thought you'd have the guild, I don't know... I..."

But she was crossing the threshold now, coming towards him, furious tears in her eyes. And then suddenly she was kissing him.

Her hands were in his hair, her lips were on his, she was melting into him, and she was crying. It was easily the best moment in Natsu's life - or it would have been, if she hadn't been so heartbreakingly upset.

She pulled back, and now her tears wet not only her own cheeks but his as well. "I love you, idiot," she choked out. "You're not supposed to leave the person who loves you! Th-that's not how it works, you moron!"

And then she was sobbing into him, and he was holding her.

"Never again," he promised, gently lifting her chin. "I'm never going to leave you again."

And he kissed her again.

It was a little sloppier this time, but it felt amazing nonetheless. And Natsu knew he would hold true to his promise. He knew he would.

After all, he was pretty sure he loved Lucy as much as she apparently loved him.

And he didn't want her to ever have to miss him again.

... ... ...

 **Sooooo sleepy... =_=**

 **Gray: It's way too late. Go to sleep, Kit.**

 ***yawn* I... so... tiiiired...**

 **Erza: *pushes Kit towards bed***

 ***hits the ground snoring***

 **Mira: *sweats* Well... hope you enjoyed, hehehe...**


	53. Only Dreaming

**Whoa... o-o *stares at review page***

 **Mira: OMIGOSH! *stares at review page***

 **Gray: ... *stares at review page***

 **Erza: Excellent, I must say. *stares at review page and eats cake***

 **Guys... I now have almost five hundred reviews.**

 ***faints on the spot***

 **Gray: *coughs* She means to say thank you for being amazing readers.**

 **Erza: She also means to say how wonderfully supportive you are, and you totally rock, and she would be nowhere without you.**

 **Mira: Here's the chapter! (This one's a teensy bit limey, actually, but not much.)**

 **Day Fifty-Three**

 **Only Dreaming**

Her lips were on his, and his body was on fire. Not literally, but it felt like it - it was burning, and hot; two things Natsu had rarely ever felt before. Her fingertips brushed over his skin as they kissed, over the defined muscles on his stomach and chest, up his neck and jawline, and in his hair, leaving trails of that figurative fire all over him.

She pulled back, moaning his name as he pulled her closer, his hands wrapped possessively around her hips. He felt her push his vest off of him and shivered as she tossed it away, but not from the cold. He was shivering with pleasure.

"Natsu... you know I love you, right?"

She smiled up at him, pulling him in for another kiss, before gently trailing kisses down his neck...

Natsu woke breathing hard and fast.

"Natsuuuuuu!" Happy cried, apparently having been the one to wake him up. "You were moving around and stuff and talking to yourself and saying Lucy's name... I thought you were having a nightmare, so I woke you up."

Natsu stared at the cat.

He wanted to shout, _stupid! You just interrupted the best dream of my life!_

But the cat had only meant to help, so Natsu just muttered a thanks and rolled over to go back to sleep.

But how, exactly, was he supposed to go back to sleep after _that?_

... ... ...

 **Whoops, gotta go, not much time for an author's note. See ya tomorrow and hope ya liked it!**


	54. The Chocolate Bars

**It's super late at night where I am now, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to post this today. My internet's being funny. But hopefully you'll see it tomorrow...**

 **Day Fifty-Four**

 **The Chocolate Bars**

Chocolate.

It was Lucy's absolute favorite thing in the world.

Well, okay... maybe not... maybe that was an extreme. But hey, she loved chocolate! It was amazing... delicious... beautiful... wonderful... creamy... sweet... and just totally perfect.

Happy knew of this insane addiction to chocolate; as a result, she too often heard comments like "might wanna cut down on the chocolate" whenever he carried her. Natsu also knew of it; as a result, _he_ just called her weird.

So it really didn't change much.

Then it happened that Natsu insisted upon getting her a thank-you gift for saving their butts in a job recently. Well, she certainly appreciated the thought, but Lucy had very low expectations for whatever Natsu was going to get her. So low, in fact, that when he handed her the large gift, she held it warily and was reluctant to open it.

"It won't explode in my face, will it?" she asked for the bazillionth time as she cautiously undid the ribbon, taking her time with it.

"Stop asking that, Luce," Natsu replied, exasperated.

"Well, is it?"

 _"No,"_ the dragonslayer replied firmly. "Now hurry and open it before I take it back!"

Part of Lucy wanted to say, fine, take it then. But she couldn't bear to see the hurt look on his cheerful face, and besides, he wouldn't give her anything really harmful.

"Fine," she said with a sigh, but she was smiling now. She tore open the box and gasped.

There were at least fifty chocolate bars sitting in the box, in neat little rows.

"You didn't," she breathed.

He grinned. "I sure did!"

Lucy tackled Natsu with a hug. "You're the best, Natsu!"

He laughed and returned the embrace. "I'm glad you like 'em, Luce..." he frowned, suddenly thinking of something. "Hey, you wouldn't mind if I had a couple, too, wouldja?"

Lucy could only laugh. "No, Natsu," she replied. "I wouldn't mind at all."

... ... ...

 **Yeaahhhh... I'm tired and my stupid internet is being just AWFUL. Sorry, boutpouring this will have to wait until tomorrow.**

 **Mira: *pouts* awww...**


	55. Sky and Sea

**Heya guys, it's Day 55! Sorry about no chapter yesterday, my internet was acting up so it wouldn't post, but I posted it just now so it's all good.**

 **Mira: This happens too often...**

 **Argh, I'm sorry, my internet has been bugging me a lot these past two weeks or so... there are times I have to post a chapter multiple times because my internet keeps screwing around with me, and there are times that a whole chapter must be rewritten. Unfortunately, I can't help it much, but hopefully things will be better soon.**

 **Gray: The chapter?**

 **Yeah, I'd better get to that. ;3**

 **Day Fifty-Five**

 **Sky and Sea**

On a little sailboat they sat,

And as far as the eye could see,

Besides clouds and the occasional bird,

There was nothing but sky and sea.

.

They watched the clouds above them,

Eating a lunch together.

Just another day to remind them of

Their bond that could never be severed.

.

The blue sky soon turned red;

Together, they named the stars.

Constellations and planets, too,

Polaris, Orion, Mars.

.

They really didn't do much,

But talk, and laugh, and eat,

And after awhile of stargazing,

Together they both fell asleep.

.

She woke sometime later that night,

Seeing him, her heart soared;

It was supposed to be a day to spend as friends,

But to her it meant so much more.

.

She loved him, this was certainly true,

Though she would always deny it.

Her friends told her she should tell him so,

But she never had the courage to try it.

.

Now he was sleeping, here was her chance!

She leaned forward; their lips touched.

She now settled back into sleep again,

Though admittedly she didn't sleep much.

.

But he was awake, this she didn't know.

He felt that gentle kiss, too,

And he loved her as much as she loved him,

Though it was only he who knew.

.

And so on that little sailboat they lay,

And as far as the eye could see,

Besides stars and the moon and the occasional cloud,

There was nothing but sky and sea.

... ... ...

 **I don't even know what inspired this... I think it was cute, how about you guys? :D**

 **Oh, and also... *screams* FIVE HUNDRED REVIEWS, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! *faints***


	56. He Remembered

**Woxnwbxi ksjsndnwj...**

 **...What was THAT?**

 **Mira: I agree, what WAS that?**

 **Gray: Are you sleep-deprived, Kit?**

 **No. Just tired.**

 **Erza: Hurry up and type your chapter, then...**

 **Got it. *yawn* ienfbeiwkfbso...**

 **Day Fifty-Six**

 **He Remembered**

There were days when he had nothing to think about, and those were the days he remembered.

Natsu had a lot of different types of days. He had happy ones, sad ones, angry ones, and confusing ones. But it was rare that he had a boring day; a day in which there really was nothing to think about.

Those were the days that his worst, most heavily padlocked memories decided to come bounding out from the depths of his mind.

When he was little, it was Igneel he thought about, and the day he left. After they thought Lisanna died, finding out about that was his worst memory. But recently, Natsu had something much worse to contend with.

Igneel was his father, yes. Lisanna was a close friend and childhood crush. But Lucy...

Well, Lucy was different.

And that was why this most recent memory was the worst of all.

He remembered the trail of shadow as it lashed out toward her. He remembered charging forward, hand outstretched, desperate to deflect the attack. He remembered the impact. The smoking wound. The way Future Lucy coughed and choked. Her final, heartbreaking words.

 _"I wanted to go on another adventure."_

He remembered the indescribable feeling of overwhelming grief, and as he remembered, that turmoil of feelings came back to him. Guilt was a major one. He could've protected her - he should've.

In the moment when Future Lucy died, she wasn't someone from the future, someone not of his time, of his world. She was just Lucy. And she was dead.

And that single, tiny thought hurt so much, Natsu almost wanted to rip out his heart.

There was also the idea that _his_ Lucy might have died. Present day Lucy. If Future Lucy hadn't been there, it would have been his Lucy who was hit, his Lucy who died.

Now, remembering that, thinking of that, Natsu felt his eyes water with hot tears.

Next time, he knew, there might not be someone else to protect her.

He had to protect her - for Mavis's sake, she was his Lucy, of course he had to protect her - but what if he couldn't?

What if he wasn't there?

That was the thought that tormented him, and that was the thought that, on so many nights, drove him to break into her house. At first, it had been because of his memories of Lisanna, and he didn't want o lose Lucy like that. But lately it had happened more and more often - because lately, he had those awful, graphic images in his mind, the images of her dying, the memories...

He had excuses each time he broke in, of course. Her bed _was_ nice and warm and fluffy, but it wasn't ever the main reason he snuck in.

It was because of the quiet stillness of the night and the emptiness of his house; it was because of the memories that plagued him when everything was so still and silent; it was because of the idea that his Lucy would die when he wasn't there, that he wouldn't be able to save her when she needed him most.

The reason Natsu snuck into her house so much was because of how he remembered.

And he didn't want his Lucy to become just another one of those memories.

... ... ...

 **A bit angsty, yeah, but a little fluffy I guess. Drabbly. Hope you enjoyed! :3**

 **Mira: *yaawwnnnnn* aijxbeowkdnah diwksjdbwioan...**

 **Gray: Now it's you?**

 **Mira: *nods and yawns***

 **Erza: I think everyone needs to to to sleep.**

 **I agree... *yawn* See you guys tomorrow! :3**


	57. Finally Okay

**Okay... haaiiiii... so I couldn't decide today. Little kid fluffy cuteness or slightly angsty fluff?**

 **And I'm like, hello! Angst Avenue here I come!**

 **Mira: Angst Avenue...?**

 **Yes, it's the road I travel when I wanna write angstiness, of course.**

 **Gray: Mhmm. And that totally exists.**

 **Erza: Indeed it does! Of course it does! I fully support your slight mental instability as a writer, Kit!**

 ***flattered* Why thank you!**

 **Day Fifty-Seven**

 **Finally Okay**

They finally came.

After such an endless, tortuous time in the horrible chamber, he'd almost forgotten what light was. With all the pain, all the horrors, everything he didn't want to think about - with all that, the only thing he had to hold onto was that he had family. Nakama. Fairy Tail. They would come for him. Lucy would come...

That, and the fact that there was light. There was a world outside of this pain, there really was.

But as time had gone on, Natsu had begun to forget. He had begun to doubt. He had to be wrong. There was no world outside of this... surely there was nothing outside of this...

And the faces and names he'd so long cherished began to grow fuzzy.

That was the most frightening thing. Losing the few precious connections he had to the outside world - that would leave him with nothing.

He was sure, then, that he'd give in.

... ... ...

It had been a long, exhausting year.

He was gone. Gone on a solo job, never to return, she thought bitterly. All they had been focused on since then was finding him.

And now they had another new lead.

Lucy had long ago stopped hoping that each new lead would bring them to Natsu. So many times, she was sure they'd find him, and so many times, her hopes were crushed.

And as they went on searching desperately, that teeny little voice in the back of her head whispered the possibility she'd very nearly begun to accept.

That Natsu was dead.

He couldn't be dead, though... there was just no way... not _Natsu..._

And so the search went on.

This time, everyone was sure, they had to find him.

This time they would save their friend, their nakama, the boy without whom Fairy Tail simply wasn't the same.

... ... ...

The first clue was the voices.

Voices. He'd never heard any - besides the voice of the man who tortured him some days - in so long. He had to hope, he had to hope...

"N-Natsu...?"

He almost didn't recognize it. Then, slowly, it came back to him. Natsu. That was his name. And the voice - oh, Mavis. The voice. _He knew that voice._

"Lucy?" he choked out, his voice cracked and hoarse. His tongue moved of its own accord - muscle memory. His mouth first remembered her name. Then his brain did.

Everything came rushing back. She was there, her golden hair waving freely behind her, her face streaked with tears, her big brown eyes wide. Lucy. His nakama. His mate(well, she didn't know it, but she was). It was Lucy, and she was here.

As they stumbled toward each other, a fleeting thought crossed Natsu's mind - that this was a some cruel dream.

But the moment her arms enveloped his and she melted into him, he knew it couldn't be just a dream.

Not this.

... ... ...

She collapsed into him, and he collapsed onto her, and it became unclear who was supporting whom. But that didn't matter anyway.

After a long year of him being gone - captured by a dark guild and tortured, apparently - he was there, and she was there, and he was okay. He was alive. He hadn't forgotten her, he hadn't left, he hadn't been ki...

Lucy shook that thought away.

Everything was finally okay now.

There was nothing she needed to worry about anymore.

... ... ...

 **Whoops, gotta go... so there's your fluffy angst, hope ya liked! :3**


	58. The Act of Kissing

**Ah, welcome to Day 58!**

 **Mira: Indeed, welcome!**

 **Gray: Yes, welcome, welcome, honored reader!**

 **Erza: *munches cake***

 **Okay, let's be normal again.**

 **Mira: Were we ever normal?**

 **Erza: Negative. But who cares?**

 **Right! ...soooo, hey guys, I got a whole lot of happy reactions for my flangsty chapter yesterday... credit to nerdcandy for that lovely new word! Fluffy + angsty = flangsty!**

 **Gray: So what have we got today?**

 **Oh, just fluff... run-of-the-mill, typical, pink and blonde fluff.**

 **Mira: Sounds good to me! :3**

 **Day Fifty-Eight**

 **The Act of Kissing**

 _Because, of course, everyone in Fairy Tail has their own opinion on kissing..._

 _So let's see just what those opinions are!_

Natsu 

According to everything that everyone says, kissing is amazing.

Do I believe a word of it?

Not really, no.

I mean, come on. Mouths are gross. And I certainly don't want someone else's on mine.

...well...

Okay, so _maybe_ that's not _all_ the way true. Maybe. What? No! I don't - no, I don't mean anyone in particular! Ugh! Stop asking me these annoying questions! ...WHADDAYA MEAN? WHY ARE YOU BRINGING HER INTO THIS! NO, I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH LU-

 _**due to extensive damage to the studio and equipment, the remainder of the interview was never recovered.**_

Erza 

K-Kissing? Are you - you don't know about _that,_ do you? Because we didn't really kiss, I swear! It was just _almost!_ And if his lips _barely_ touched mine before he pushed me away, well - that doesn't count!

...speaking of that, he's a jerk for not following through and I can't _stand_ people shipping us, don't even _ask_ if that's denial because it isn't, I swear it isn't, I _swear!_

...I-I need cake...

What? You _weren't_ talking about anything in particular? You don't know about - _that?_

 _...NO,_ I'm not going to tell you about it, what kind of a question _is_ that?!

Juvia 

Ah! Juvia knew it! Juvia knew the day would come when her beloved Gray-sama would finally admit his love for her! Though Juvia doesn't know why he sent somebody else to ask Juvia to kiss Gray-sama. He could have come himself. How odd.

That doesn't matter! Where is Juvia's beloved? Juvia must obey her love's wishes and kiss Gray-sama as passionately as he has asked!

...WHAT?!

Gray-sama DIDN'T send you, strange microphone man? G-Gray-sama - ISN'T in love with Juvia?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

 _**due to severe flooding of the studio (seriously, we should reconsider interviewing these lunatics) the equipment broke and the interview ends here.**_

Gajeel 

Kissin'?

Look, kid, I don' wanna kiss no one but the Shr -

Er.

*cough*

...NO, I AIN'T BLUSHIN'! THIS AIN'T A BLUSH SO SHUT YER TRAP 'FORE I SHUT IT FOR YA!

...anyway, no, I ain't kissin' anyone anytime soon... not at all... er, y'seen the Shrimp around anywhere? I gotta question for 'er...

Levy 

_**Unfortunately, the interviewee was busy at the scheduled time of her interview. She was reported to have been seen entering the room of Gajeel Redfox, but was not seen leaving until the following morning. As such, her interview was canceled. Thank you for your patience.**_

Evergreen 

Kissing? Hmph. Well, I've kissed many a guy in my time, but - eh? My phone's going off, sorry- there, that's better. Anyway, out of all my kisses, only one felt right, it's kind of amazing sometimes. Kissing, I mean. Like a spark, or - argh, stupid phone - let me take this - Elf-kun? What are you - eh? You had an interview too? ...KISSING IS CERTAINLY NOT MAN, COME ON, THAT'S THE BEST WORD YOU HAVE TO DESCRIBE IT? YOU AND I BOTH KNOW IT WAS MORE THAN JUST "MAN"!

...alright, sorry, I've taken care of that. Can I go now?

...IT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS WHAT HONORIFICS I GIVE MY GUILD MEMBERS!

 _**Due to injuries, destruction of equipment, and post-traumatic stress of the interviewer (I swear, these guys are crazy, the next one's the last one, we can't handle them) the remainder of the interview is still unknown.**_

Lucy 

Kissing?

Well, let's see...

I have to say, kissing is amazing. I mean... from what I've read. I've kissed once or twice before, but I never really felt that spark, you know? But from what I've been told, it's all about finding the right person. Kissing is an expression of love - if you fall in love, kissing them will be one of the most amazing feelings in the world.

Not that I'd know - I mean, I've found the right guy, at least I think I have, I just haven't kissed him yet - wait, what am I saying?! Um, forget that...

Anyway.

Kissing is supposed to be wonderful, and I kinda can't wait to be able to kiss someone like I mean it - you know, to feel that spark. Kissing shouldn't be considered gross or strange. Love is a beautiful thing, and kissing is an expression of the strong bond two lovers share.

That said, Na - er, the guy I like! NO, I'M NOT SAYING WHO! ...well, anyway, he had better man up and kiss me soon, I'm sick of waiting.

... ... ...

 **Annnnnd there you have it! Hope everyone loved it... also, I'm in need of fresh requests. Help me out, guys? ;3**

 **Mira: See you tomorrow! Bye!**


	59. Supermarket Blues

**I asked some people today, "can you give me a random word?" And someone said "pineapples." So there. That's my writing prompt for today. X3**

 **Mira: Interesting.**

 **Gray: Kit, you're crazy.**

 **:D Thanks, Captain Obvious!**

 **Gray: No problem, Sergeant Sarcasm!**

 **Erza: No, Sergeant Sarcasm would have to be you, Gray.**

 **Gray: Now YOU'RE Captain Obvious, Erza.**

 **Erza: Thanks, Sergeant Sarcasm.**

 **Ah, there, now it's right...**

 **Mira: I'm confused.**

 **Pantherlily: You aren't the only one.**

 ***squeaks in surprise* LILY?!**

 **Everyone: LILY?!**

 **Lily: ...**

 **How did you get here?**

 **Lily: Um, the cavern in the Forbidden Forest just outside of Cerulean City. Lots of right turns, two lefts, and an up, and suddenly I'm here... what is this place anyway...?**

 **The GRAND HALL OF NARRATION! :3**

 **Lily: ...right...**

 **Day Fifty-Nine**

 **Supermarket Blues**

Shopping, Lucy claimed, was extremely important.

Natsu didn't buy it. He just said Lucy was a weirdo, then tagged along on her shopping trip anyway.

"But Luce, why do you _need_ to go shopping?" Natsu asked again. "I think it's pointless."

"You buy food," Lucy snapped back, irritated. "Is that pointless?"

"No, but you can get food at your house, or at the bar, or fish for it!" Natsu replied.

"First of all, food does not get to my house by magic. I have to shop for it," Lucy deadpanned. "Second, I don't want to order everything from Mira 24-7, because I like to cook, too. And third, fish would get tiring after awhile!"

"I don't get tired of it," Happy piped up.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm not you."

By now, they were at the supermarket, and Lucy quickly set off to buy whatever she needed. Naturally, she didn't count on Natsu and Happy embarrassing her to no end with their typical antics. And, naturally, that was quite a mistake.

 _"Oooooh, the suuupermaarrrket bluuuuuues..."_

Natsu's tragically scratchy, bad singing made Lucy wince, then made her turn pale. Oh, crap. What was he doing now?

Lucy charged through the aisles, searching for her salmon-haired friend to no avail. That was when he flew right over her, still singing that horrible ballad of his...

 _"Oooooh, my lady's gone a-crazy, thinkin' she needs to go to the strange and booooring suuuuupermaaarrrket... so now I gots the suuuuupermaaarrrket ba-luuuuuues..."_

Lucy glared up at him. "Natsu! Happy! YOU GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT, YOU HEAR ME?!"

They both ignored her.

Obviously.

Now that they had people's attention, Happy flew Natsu down to the produce aisle, and they came back up with armfuls of pineapples, which Natsu began to juggle.

And, because juggling is something that Natsu had never done before in his life, pineapples quickly began to go _splat._

People were laughing, clapping along to the cheery song Natsu and Happy were now spouting out, and tossing up fruits for him to try and juggle. The store's manager called the police, but the pair just shrieked with glee and flew out a closed window, shattering clear, thin plastic shards all over the place. People laughed even more at the blond mage who tore out of the supermarket's big double doors, screeching insults at Natsu and Happy both.

All in all, it wasn't much more than a normal day for Lucy. Given her best friend's constant antics, she'd seen much worse before...

... ... ...

 **Well, there you have it... Natsu embarrassing Lucy in public... not that it isn't a typical thing XD**

 **Mira: Ah, so romantic...**

 **Gray: And just how do you get "romantic" out of THAT?**

 **Lily: I was wondering the same thing...**

 **Erza: *munches cake* Bye-bye, readerrrrrrs!**

 **Bye, guys, hope you enjoyed! ;3 I have a good arsenal of requests, but remember I'm always welcome for more - you know, for those what-the-heck-do-I-write-about days. Anyway, thanks for reading!**

 **(Also, I started a forum called "Fairy Tail Manga Discussion" so please check it out! :D)**


	60. Possible new fic: The Broken Road Home

**Something I might possibly make into a separate, continued fic. It's the Lucy leaves Fairy Tail idea, but definitely far away from cliche, I promise you that, because the cliche really sucks.**

 **If I publish this separately...**

 **Title: The Broken Road Home**

 **Summary: Fairy Tail is always there for Lucy, but she still feels like she's useless to them. She leaves, convinced that she's only a problem anyway, and the guild is heartbroken - not to mention a certain fire dragonslayer. Natsu sets off to bring Lucy back to Fairy Tail: the home she never should have left in the first place. NaLu/GaLe**

 **Day Sixty**

 **The Broken Road Home (possible chapter one/prologue)**

When all was said and done, and Lucy was sitting on a train away from Magnolia, she finally found herself asking "why."

Why was she about to do this? How could she do this to herself - to all of _them?_

But no. She knew why she couldn't stay. She knew there was no way she'd be able to stay, and she had her reasons. She had plenty of them.

* * *

The first reason had pounced upon her in the form of a near-tragedy about three months earlier.

* * *

No one knew what happened that day.

No one, that is, except Lucy.

It wasn't her fault - that was what they all said. Nobody blamed her. She almost wished they would. Natsu had come within inches of his life, and it was because of her. No one could deny that - and if they all knew what had really happened, Lucy was certain they would blame her. The blame, she thought, would be easier than listening to all these "It's okay" lies.

And yet... she couldn't bring herself to admit the truth. So Lucy kept a silent, sad vigil by the bar, sipping on a banana milkshake from Mira.

"It's on the house," the woman had said with a smile. "I think you need a little pick-me-up, ne?"

Lucy nodded wordlessly, smiling a grateful smile at Mirajane, who beamed before returning to her work.

Now Lucy, whose guildmates had left her alone after realizing she wasn't in the mood to talk, closed her eyes and reminisced.

* * *

 _The job wasn't a hard one - well, it wasn't supposed to be. It was only when they arrived on the mountain that Lucy, Natsu, and Happy realized how tough things were about to get. Because the monsters they were required to slay apparently lived on that mountain._

 _It wasn't the mountain itself that was a problem, however. It was the hordes upon hordes of vicious beasts that lived on and around it._

 _"Really?" Lucy said angrily upon their arrival. "The monsters advertised on the flyer weren't supposed to be tough to beat at all - but this mountain is filled with way worse. I bet it was a trap or something?"_

 _"So?" Natsu said cheerfully. "We'll just beat 'em all up!"_

 _To which Lucy couldn't help but smile, roll her eyes, and tag along._

* * *

Well, Lucy realized now, big mistake. Possibly the worst she'd ever made.

Yeah, Natsu had saved Lucy's butt again, but this time he didn't just rescue her. He took the brunt of the attack for her. She wished he had just let her die. It wasn't that she was ungrateful to him for saving her life; it was that Natsu was lying, barely alive, in the infirmary because of her.

Happy had been out cold when it happened, and that meant there were only two people in the universe who knew the truth of what happened that nearly killed Natsu. Lucy's tears and incessant claims that it was her fault were the two things that convinced the guild it _wasn't_ her fault.

How wrong they were.

Tears made wet tracks down Lucy's face. She didn't deserve a family like them. She never had and never would - she was far too weak, far too pitiful to deserve them. To deserve _Natsu._

No, it certainly wasn't the first time she'd had these kind of thoughts, either.

Lucy sighed and shoved her milkshake away. "I can't finish this," she said quietly. "Thank you so much, though, Mira. I... I don't deserve this..."

Mira looked confused for a moment. "The milkshake? Of course you deserve it!"

"I didn't mean the milkshake," Lucy mumbled, voice trembling. "Never mind... I'm just gonna head home, anyway."

But Mira stopped her with a cool hand on her own. "Lucy," Mira said, somehow managing to sound both stern and tender at the same time. It was a big sisterly kind of tone that Lucy knew well. "Don't you think for a _moment_ that you don't deserve the guild! We're your family, we all love you, and you mean so much to us. You've helped us and changed us all for the better." She smiled. "Natsu will be fine - and what happened to him was _not_ your fault."

"You don't understand," Lucy cried back, trying to pull out of Mira's grip. "Natsu nearly died because he was _saving my life_ , Mira! Because I was too weak to protect myself! If I wasn't so _stupid_ and _useless,_ he'd be _fine_ right now - he should've just let me die instead!"

It was only in the momentary silence that followed that Lucy realized how loud she had been. Everyone in the guild had stopped what they were doing, staring right at her.

Lucy's hands shook. She'd gone and done it now. Now they were all going to blame her. They were all going to hate her. She was waiting for Mira to jerk her hand away, disgusted, when the white-haired mage shocked her.

Mira pulled Lucy into an embrace.

Lucy sobbed into Mira, grateful for the comfort of her arms, but confused all the same. "D-don't you h-hate me?" she choked out through her tears.

"Of _course_ not, Lucy," Mira admonished gently. "You're family. And besides, Natsu's injuries are not your fault. I think everyone can agree with me there."

The guild responded with a chorus of "That's right, Lucy!" and "Lucy, we all love you!" and the blond mage found herself sobbing harder.

She didn't deserve them.

But oh, how she loved them anyway...

* * *

That was reason number one. Natsu's injuries, because of her own weakness. That was the first reason she decided to leave, but oh, it certainly wasn't the only one.

No, Lucy had plenty more justification as to "why"...

* * *

She did end up going home after that, because she really was tired. It had been, to say the least, an exhausting day. But no sooner had she put on her pajamas then the doorbell rang - and there was Lisanna, standing there on Lucy's front step.

"Hey, Lucy!" the white-haired mage said cheerfully. "I know you're upset about everything, so I thought I'd come over to hang out! You know, to cheer you up!"

"Really?" Lucy said, shocked. However, her surprised face quickly morphed into a smile. "Thank you, Lisanna!"

"I also invited Levy," Lisanna added, a twinkle in her eye. "And Wendy, Charle, Juvia, Erza, and Cana! And I asked Mira-nee if she could come, too, but she's gotta finish her shift, so she can't."

Lucy's eyes widened. "Wow... you did all that for me?"

"It's not much, I just invited people, over, silly," Lisanna replied with a grin.

Lucy felt tears come to her eyes. "Well, it means a lot to me. Thank you."

* * *

It didn't take long for everyone to arrive, and soon after that they began to construct a tent out of blankets, pillows, and chairs, giggling all the way. Once the girls had situated themselves under the tent, they quickly began a round of games.

First was Would You Rather, and already things were off to a rocky start...

"Levy! Would you rather kiss Gajeel and no one knows about it, or tell Mirajane that he proposed to you?"

Levy turned a brilliant shade of red. "Wh-what?!"

Everyone laughed. "Well, go on, answer!" Cana said with a devious smirk; she, after all, had been the one to ask the question.

"I g-guess I'd rather kiss him..." Levy mumbled.

Cana gave her a lopsided grin. "Of course you would."

Juvia nodded solemnly. "Indeed. Juvia knows that Mira-san is too much of a gossip for her own good. That is why Juvia always goes to Mira-san first when Juvia wants rumors about Juvia and Gray-sama's relationship to be spread around."

Several of the girls sweat-dropped at that. "You actually _try_ to spread relationship rumors around?" Lucy cried, incredulous. "I thought Mira was the only one..."

Juvia beamed. "Anything to help Gray-sama fall in love with Juvia!"

There were a few nervous laughs - sometimes, Juvia's thing for Gray got a bit creepy. A bit strange.

Okay, _really_ strange.

The next game they played was Never Have I Ever - a fun one, but mostly harmless. "Never have I ever... had a crush on my best friend," Lisanna blurted, and everyone gasped slightly before giggling. The rule of the game was that, if you had done it before, you had to raise your hand. You could say things either that you had done, or that you hadn't, it didn't matter.

Lisanna's own hand was raised, and that was why everyone was giggling.

Lucy, Erza, and Wendy's hands were also raised...

"W-well, he's not really my best friend, but we've gotten a lot closer over the past few months, and done a bunch of jobs together, and I, well..." Wendy stammered, blushing furiously. The other girls exchanged glances - they hadn't seen Wendy go on any jobs with anyone besides Charle, Natsu's team, occasionally team Shadow Gear, and...

"Romeo?" Charle gasped. "Child! I will _not_ have you falling in love with the son of that pervert Macao - "

"No!" Wendy yelped in defense of her crush. "He's nothing like his dad, I swear, he's so nice and gentlemanly around me... he even got me flowers once," she added, her face turning still more pink. Lucy and Lisanna started to squeal.

"Well, as long as 'e doesn't make a real move on ya before you're 18, I approve," Cana decided. Wendy buried her face in her hands in embarrassment, which was not helped when Erza added, "and I will personally tear him to shreds if he tries anything on you before marriage!"

"Okay, okay, guys," Lisanna said, laughing. "Erza - your hand was raised!"

Erza looked away. "Well... Je- I mean, the guy I l-love _used_ to be my best friend. Does that count?"

Everyone raised their eyebrows; it was clear she was talking about Jellal.

"Yes," Lisanna decided with a grin. "I'd say it counts, for sure!"

"What about you, Lisanna?" Lucy asked. There was a hint of nervousness in her tone, but it was small enough that no one really noticed. Only Wendy, with her exceptional hearing, noticed something was strange in the blond's voice - but she shrugged it off. Lucy was glad no one could tell how anxious she was.

"I-I... I like Natsu!" Lisanna finally said, and immediately, everyone went quiet.

Most of them had been able to tell already, but Lisanna had always denied it before...

"I've liked him since we were little," the white-haired mage said timidly, fidgeting slightly. "It was just a crush. I never really got over it, though... I mean, he's cute and funny and loyal. What's not to like, right?"

Lucy's fists clenched. She'd been afraid of this...

"Lucy?" Lisanna asked now. "Your hand was up, too!"

Lucy frowned. "N-no, it wasn't," she lied, waving her off. "I was just stretching. Sorry."

Lisanna didn't completely buy it. A small thought formed in her mind, but she shook it off. Surely Lucy wasn't jealous of Lisanna... anyway, Lisanna decided she'd just have to observe from afar, as she wasn't getting anything out of the blond.

If Lucy was in love with Natsu, as Lisanna had begun to suspect, the white-haired mage would happily back off. She'd seen how close the two were, and in all honesty, Lisanna's feelings weren't as strong as Lucy's and she knew it. Lisanna would like to date Natsu. She did have a crush on him. But it was obvious to her that Lucy and Natsu were soulmates, and the bond they shared was stronger than anything she'd ever seen before.

Lisanna sighed. She was jealous. How could she not be? But she was also certain that Natsu and Lucy belonged together and wasn't about to do anything to stop fate.

Besides, a love as strong as that was something rare, and Lisanna wanted that. She wanted to find The One: the guy who would love her like Natsu loved Lucy.

But Lucy didn't know what Lisanna was thinking, and all she could think about was how she would interrupt the happy life Natsu and Lisanna could have. After everyone else had finally fallen asleep (after a long and awful game of Truth or Dare, no less) Lucy lay awake.

"Maybe," she mumbled, "I really am just getting in the way. I'm useless and weak and I can't protect myself... Natsu's hurt because of me... and I'll probably just mess things up with Lisanna and Natsu, anyway." Lucy felt tears well up in her eyes and tried to hold them back. "Sure, I'm in love with him, but he's known Lisanna longer anyway. She belongs with him, I guess."

* * *

That was reason number two: Lisanna and Natsu's possible life together. Lucy knew that she couldn't mess with true love. She knew she couldn't get in the way of what was surely a perfect relationship.

What she didn't know, however, was that true love was exactly what she was messing with when she left Natsu and all of Fairy Tail. What she didn't know was that Lisanna had already accepted Lucy's feelings and decided to back off.

But when she left, the blond mage really did think she was doing the right thing. "Things will be better this way," she whispered to herself as she sat on the train.

The third reason came to Lucy about two months before she decided to leave - a month after the first two reasons.

* * *

Lucy had been trying to avoid Natsu for the past four-ish weeks. He was hurt by her attempts to stay away from him, but she didn't know that - after all, Lucy was sure that she was doing the right thing.

She had just returned from a solo job when the thieves attacked. Of course, Fairy Tail fought them off easily, but there were injuries. No battle goes without injuries. And Lucy blamed herself for all of them, considering she was their target and the reason they attacked.

"Just think," the woman holding her chuckled. "We've captured a puny, weak little fairy, and now we can hold her for ransom! One of these useless little ones shouldn't be able to fight back, too weak - but with Fairy Tail's stupid "nakama" and all that junk, they'll want her back at any price." She cackled. "Oh, how easy to manipulate, they are!"

In the end, Lucy was rescued, but she couldn't stop blaming herself. She was so weak, and people _knew_ it.

She had become a danger to the guild.

* * *

So that was reason number three. She was putting her nakama in danger, and she couldn't do that, not anymore.

The fourth and final reason, however, was the worst of all.

* * *

"Lusheeeeeeee~"

Lucy looked up from her strawberry milkshake to see Happy waving excitedly. Natsu came running over to her, a big smile on his face. "Hey, Luce!" he said cheerfully. "Wanna go on a job with the team?"

She almost said yes.

But she remembered: she was weak, she was a danger to the team, and she always got in the way.

So Lucy only shrugged. "Go without me."

What she didn't expect, however, was the response Natsu gave her.

"Lucy, why have you been avoiding me?" he asked in a voice so hurt, Lucy almost told him the truth about her and Lisanna's feelings. But she couldn't. If she did, it'd only make things much worse.

"Because," she mumbled. "I-I don't think you need me on your team. I mean, I'm weak... I'm like dead weight. I don't want to hold you back."

Natsu stared at her, befuddled. "But Luce, you don't hold us back. You're strong, too."

"Don't give me that crap!" Lucy snapped back, shocking them both. Her voice cracked as she continued. "You nearly died last month because of my weakness - don't lie and tell me that I'm strong, because I know I'm not! I'm useless, and anyway, it's not like you _want_ me on your team!"

"Of course I do, Lucy! Why - "

"No you _don't,_ Natsu! I know I was only a replacement for Lisanna." The words slipped out without her thinking, and Natsu was taken aback. "Besides - m-maybe I don't _want_ to be on a team with you anyway!"

That would make things easier. She could just tell him she didn't want to be around him anymore... make him hate her...

But at the crushed expression on Natsu's face, Lucy felt herself begin to fall apart.

That was not the right thing to do.

She opened her mouth to say something, but Natsu turned away. She grasped his hand, but he flinched at her touch, and she let go as though she'd been burned.

 _I'm really not good for anything,_ Lucy thought, her heart cracking in two. _All I can ever do is hurt people..._

* * *

And that was reason number four. Lucy knew she was a weak, horrible, cruel, good-for-nothing, useless girl that only ever got in the way. She didn't deserve her home at Fairy Tail and never would.

Natsu forgave her by the next morning, but Lucy couldn't bear to forgive herself. She continued to avoid him and pretty much everyone else for the next two months, and eventually, he stopped trying to get her to talk to him. People knew something was wrong. But she wouldn't tell them why.

And today she left the letters in her apartment, knowing Natsu would find them eventually. He'd been trying to come in every night, never giving up though she kept her door and window locked. Today, however, she had unlocked them both, knowing full well that he'd return and find her letters.

She left three. One for Levy, containing a copy of everything she'd written of her novel so far - the original copy she brought along with her. One for the guild in general. And one just for Natsu.

She hadn't been able to bring herself to confess her love in that letter. It wouldn't be fair to him. If he just never knew, he could have the best possible life with Lisanna, and she could think of him and be happy for him.

Lucy sighed, slumping against the train seat.

Time to get herself a new life...

* * *

 **Hoi!**

 **Mira: Wow, that sure was angsty.**

 **Yup. I decided I might do a Lucy leaves fanfic, but I absolutely hate the Lisanna-is-a-jerk-and-everyone-hates-Lucy cliche. It gets on my nerves like you wouldn't believe! So I thought I'd do one where Lucy has the wrong idea, and she considers herself useless, while the guild knows it's not true. Something more in-character.**

 **Anyway, I might make this into a continued fanfic, or just use it as a continued fanfic inside of this one. Soooooo... tell me what ya think! :3**

 **Gray: It's awful! Lucy is NOT useless.**

 **Erza: It would make for an excellent story, though. If sounds like it would be angsty...**

 **Lily: And from what I've been told since yesterday, angst is your specialty.**

 **Sure is! Well, hope ya liked it, guys! ^.^ See you tomorrow, and please do drop a review, because I _REALLY_ wanna hear your opinion on this particular chapter. :3 Thanks! **


	61. Don't You Dare

**...*faints***

 **Mira: KIT!**

 **Gray: ...is she okay?**

 **Erza: Uhh... probably...?**

 **Lily: Why did she faint in the first place?**

 **Why are there so many question marks? Stop question-mark-ing!**

 **Everyone: WE THOUGHT YOU WERE FAINTED!**

 **That's better. Anyway, the reason I fainted was because we have officially achieved OVER 600 REVIEWS! I have no clue how this happened... you guys are AMAZING... *faints again***

 **Mira: *sweatdrops***

 **Lily: I guess we had better start the chapter...**

 **Day Sixty-One**

 **Don't You Dare**

He heard her screaming down there. He heard her from all the way up in the sky.

He froze. Stopped mid-attack. He cried out in pain when Future Rogue's attack slammed into him, but shook it off.

Natsu would recognize that scream anywhere.

"Lucy!" he yelled. He didn't pause to think. "Happy, c'mon! We gotta help her!"

"What?" Future Rogue hissed. "Where are you going? If she was attacked by one of the dragons, she's surely dead already."

Natsu turned to Rogue, his eyes wild with anger. In seconds, Future Rogue was pinned against his dragon's back, Natsu's hands at his throat.

"You shut your mouth," Natsu hissed furiously. "You tried to _kill_ her. You took away her future! I'd kill you now, but - " He was interrupted by another, tortured scream, and he tensed up. "Happy, let's _go!"_

"Aye!" Happy grabbed Natsu and flew off, abandoning the fight with Rogue, and carrying him downward, toward the ground, toward Lucy.

"Lucy, don't you _dare_ be dead," he muttered. For once, the dragonslayer actually sounded... _scared._

Happy dropped him to the ground, and Natsu took off running. Her scent was so familiar, but there was something different about it this time. A cold fist gripped his heart when he realized that it had the scent of blood mixed in.

"Mavis, Lucy, you _better_ not be dead," he whispered, his eyes wide.

He turned a corner, and there she was.

Bloody. Beaten. Lifeless.

 _Oh, Mavis, no_. Stumbled to her side, desperately repeating her name, to no avail. "Lucy! _Lucy!"_ He felt tears fill his eyes. _No. No. Lucy, don't you dare be dead._

There were deep gashes throughout her body, as if something with huge claws had decided to use her as a scratching post. Natsu cringed at the thought.

Suddenly, he was swatted aside by a huge force. Natsu gasped in pain as he was slammed into a crumbling brick wall. "Lucy," he managed to choke out, feeling hot tears beginning to roll down his face.

A deep, rumbling voice chuckled cruelly. "Out of the way, Salamander. I'm not done playing with her yet." A clawed, scaly hand gripped Lucy's limp body tightly.

It was a dragon.

This was what had caused those awful gashes across her body. Natsu struggled to his feet. "P-put her down!"

The dragon ignored him, spreading its wings as if to fly away.

"Happy!" Natsu called. Annoyed, the dark green dragon swatted the blue Exceed out of the sky, and Happy was slammed into a wall. It crumbled on top of him, burying his small, frail body.

"No! _Happy!"_ Natsu screamed. He turned to the dragon, furious. "You're gonna pay for that - and for what you did to Lucy!"

"Oh, am I?" the dragon sneered. With one mighty stroke of his wings, he was in the air.

He dropped Lucy.

"Lucy!" Natsu screamed, charging forward to catch her, but the dragon held him back with one scaly paw. Lucy's body slammed against the ground, and she gave a strangled cry.

 _She was still alive._

Fresh tears came to his eyes. He was relieved, but he was also furious at the dragon for doing this to her. "Stop it!" he yelled at the dragon, his voice hoarse. "Stop it! You're _torturing_ her!" Natsu tried desperately to break free from its hold.

"Don't you see, little human?" the dragon cackled. "That is exactly what I am _trying_ to do." He held one claw over Lucy's body. "Human pain - isn't it just fascinating?" And, with one swift motion, the dragon ran her through with his claw.

Lucy gave an agonized shriek.

"Lucy, no!" Natsu screamed. "Fire Dragon's _Roar!"_ The flames covered the dragon's paw, and in his shock, the creature let go of Natsu. Taking advantage of that moment, Natsu rushed to Lucy's side.

"Lucy," he gasped, clutching her tightly in his arms. "Oh, God. Lucy, say something!"

"Natsu," she whispered, blood dripping from her mouth. She reached up to touch his face, and he grasped her hand, pressing it to his face. "N-Natsu..."

Tears rolled down his cheeks. "Don't you dare leave me, Lucy," he whispered. "If you die, I swear I'll kill you."

A choked laugh escaped her lips. She closed her eyes, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

"N-no, Lucy - stop crying," Natsu whispered, feeling tears of his own begin to form as he wiped the wet, salty drops off her cheeks. "Lucy? ... _Lucy!"_

His brain registered the fact that she'd gone motionless, and horror overtook him.

"No." The tears were coming faster now; they wouldn't stop. "No... no... _Lucy?!_ C'mon, please! Don't you die on me! _Lucy!"_ He pulled her close to him, clutching her limp body, as his own was wracked with sobs. _"Lucy!"_ he screamed again.

The dragon cackled above him. "How sweet," the creature hissed.

Natsu turned on him in fury. After that, he didn't know what happened. But there was only one thought in his mind: _Lucy._

 **... ... ...**

"Oh, Mavis - oh, Mavis, _Natsu!"_

"He's not - he's not _dead,_ is he?"

"Don't say that!"

"Is that... _Lucy_ he's holding?"

"Oh, Mavis, are the both of them - no. No. _Please,_ no."

"Natsu - Natsu, wake up!"

"Lucy? Lucy - _oh Mavis."_

"What's wrong?"

"Sh-she's..."

 **... ... ...**

Natsu woke up in a white room. _The infirmary?_

His whole body ached. _Probably the infirmary..._

He tried to speak, but all he could manage was one hoarse word: "Lucy..."

Someone was standing over him. Lots of people were.

"Natsu!" he heard Wendy say happily.

"Natsu! Natsu!" Happy cheered, tackling him with a hug. The poor cat was covered in bandages but alive. The pink-haired mage managed a smile, but even that hurt.

"We did it, Natsu," Gray said with a grin. "Beat the dragons."

"It wasn't an easy task," Erza agreed, "but you definitely did your share. You beat two of them, I believe." Two dragons? When the heck did he beat two dragons?

"Indeed," Makarov said with a smile. Natsu felt relieved. Good, then it over. Even if he didn't exactly remember it. But...

There was one person missing, from all of this...

"Where's Lucy?" he asked.

Everyone looked away. There was a silence, which Gajeel finally broke.

"We found you with her," he muttered. "You were both unconscious and pretty badly injured. We thought you were dead, but the two of you made it - barely."

Levy's eyes were tearful. "You were holding her. She was almost dead, and - and so were you, and - s-she's alive, but _oh Mavis we were so scared!"_ Levy stopped and covered her face, crying.

"Lucy's injured, badly," Makarov said with a grave tone. "She will hopefully be alright, but I'm not certain it would be a good thing for you to see her now - "

"I don't care," Natsu growled. "I'm going to go see Lucy. _Now."_

... ... ...

The door creaked when he pushed it open.

"N-Natsu...?"

"Luce," Natsu choked out. "Oh _Mavis,_ Lucy! I thought you - I thought you died! Oh, Mavis, you're _hurt."_ His eyes stung. "This is my fault. I couldn't protect you."

She slapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Natsu Dragneel. Do not blame yourself even for a moment!"

He shook his head, and she heard the pain in his voice as he said, "but Luce, I'm supposed to protect you! Dragons have to protect their mates!"

Her eyes widened. His did, too, upon realizing what he had said.

Lucy's eyes softened then, and she pulled him into an embrace. "I'm okay now, Natsu," she murmured, "and so are you. That's all that matters, okay?"

He nodded, holding her close and breathing in her scent. Briefly, he recalled what he'd said to her when he thought she was dying.

"Don't you ever die on me, you hear me, Lucy?" he mumbled, and felt her nod. "Don't you dare..."

... ... ...

 **Thought I was gonna kill her, didn't ya? ^.^ Weeelllllll I didn't...**

 **Mira: *rolls eyes***

 **Also, this chapter is a shoutout to my friend Kat in real life! She adores this story ^.^ And she is utterly awesome, so yep. She also made me promise to not write any more awful angst. So, obviously, I had to write an angsty chapter JUUUSSSTTT for her! YOU'RE WELCOME, KAT WITH A Z!**

 **Anyway, yup, hope you guys likey-liked! :3**


	62. The Toilet Paper Roll

**La dee da...**

 **Gray: ...you bored?**

 **...yep! ^.^**

 **Mira: Does that mean it's crack time?**

 **Well, no. I was considering killing Nashi this chapter, actually.**

 **Everyone: NUUUUUUUUUU**

 **...buuuuuuuut... I decided y'all got enough angst yesterday, sooooooooooo, yes, it is indeed crack time!**

 **Lily: So why did you say no when Gray asked?**

 **'Cause I felt like it? :D**

 **Erza: You are a strange one.**

 **Look who's talking! You guys are Fairy Tail, for Arceus's sake! "Strange" practically DEFINES you!**

 **Mira: Who's Arceus?**

 ***giggles* You'll never know! ^.^**

 **(...I'm not sure this is quite crack, but it _is_ amusing.) **

**Day Sixty-Two**

 **The Toilet Paper Roll**

Lucy was irritated.

Natsu, as usual, was being just plain infuriating. Natsu, as usual, was doing something undoubtedly weird and not thinking anything of it. Natsu, as usual, was breaking into Lucy's house.

The not-usual thing was the toilet paper roll.

Lucy always put the toilet paper roll on so it rolled towards her when she pulled it.

And Natsu was changing it! So it rolled the _other_ way!

It was stupid, yeah, but it infuriated her to no end! Jeez! Why couldn't he leave her stuff alone! All the time, she was changing it back the way _she_ liked it, and every single time he changed it back! _Argh!_

Annoyed, Lucy sat herself down on the edge of the bed...

...and happened to sit on a certain fire dragonslayer.

"Ow," she heard him mutter. "Watch where you sit, Luce..."

 _"You_ watch where you lay down!" she exploded. "This is _my_ house!"

"Jeez, why ya so mad?" Natsu asked, rolling his eyes. Lucy glowered at him.

"Because you're messing up the toilet paper roll, that's why!"

Immediately, Natsu was scowling. "What are you talking about? You're the one who messes it up!"

"No, you are! It's not supposed to roll that way!"

"Are you kidding me, Luce? You should know this! It's supposed to roll the other way!"

"Argh! Natsu! This is MY house, you know!"

"So? It's not my fault you're rolling the toilet paper wrong!"

They never did resolve that little debate, and to this day, they have each made a point to change the toilet paper roll so it rolls the other way. And both are still infuriated by it to no end... well, you know what they say. Some things never change.

... ... ...

 **So this was an idea from a lovely reviewer! I hope you all found it amusing... also, by the way, I'm making AMVs. ^.^ So once I put them on YouTube, I'll let you know, okay? Anyway... see ya tomorrow!**

 **Mira: *waves* Bye-byyyyyyyyeeee~!**


	63. The Fourth Wall Break

**\- EDIT: I swear I put this up yesterday... WHYYYYYYY did it not show up?! Whatever, it's here now, so enjoooyyyyyy... -**

 **... ... ...**

 **Mira: Weeelllllll where did Kit go?**

 **Gray: Dunno, she was here a moment ago.**

 **Erza: How strange... *munches cake***

 **Lily: ...does this happen often?**

 **Mira: The Kit-disappearing-thing? Nooooooo, I don't believe it does.**

 **Lily: No, no, I was talking about the Gray-losing-his-clothes-and-dropping-them-into-the-actual-story-thing.**

 **Everyone: ...WHAT?!**

 **GRAY!**

 **Gray: KIT! You're back!**

 **THAT DOESN'T MATTER, GRAY, YOU JUST DID A FOURTH-WALL-BREAKER THINGY!**

 **Gray: Oh crap.**

 **Day Sixty-Three**

 **The Fou*pants*rth Wall Break**

 **Somewhere in the Grand Hall of Narration in the Forbidden Forest near Cerulean City just west of Camp Jupiter...**

 **(*cough*Pokémon reference*cough*Harry Potter reference*cough*PJO/HOO reference*cough*)**

Gray stared in horror at the title, as did everyone else.

Mira turned on Gray, furious. "Gray Fullbuster! _Why_ are your pants in the title?!"

Gray shook in fear. "I-I d-don't know!" Mira's glare turned even more ferocious and he cringed. "Sorry!"

"Well?" Erza asked dangerously. "Do you plan on getting it down from there?"

Kit watched, unsure whether to be angry or amused, as Gray nodded feebly and climbed up to pull his trousers out of the title.

 **Day Sixty-Three**

 **The Fourth Wall Break**

"That's better," Kit said, satisfied. "Now Gray... you had better go fix the problems you created, ne?"

Gray scowled. "Fine..."

And thus he set off to fix everything.

... ... ...

Meanwhile, the story version of Gray was at the bar, for once with his clothes on. Maybe it had something to do with the strange foreboding he felt, as if Mira and Erza were mad at him for stripping again... ehhhhh, but that couldn't be possible, Erza was happy as a lark with her cake and Mira was -

...where was Mira?

"Oh crap," Gray mumbled upon catching sight of a very angry Mirajane storming towards him, his shirt on her head. Except he happened to be wearing his shirt. Weird...

"Gray!" she said furiously, holding up the shirt. "WHAT IS THIS?!"

"Not my shirt," he said with a shrug, because it clearly wasn't.

"Then whose - " Mira began, but was interrupted as someone came sailing in, kicking Gray off his seat. There was a brawl and by the time the dust cleared, Gray was sitting there as if nothing had happened.

(Actually this was now the narrator version of Gray who had knocked the story version of Gray off his seat and bound him by hand and foot in a closet.)

"Sorry Mira," he said, taking his shirt. "Didn't mean to do that... errrr, ya seen my coat anywhere?"

Now Natsu was coming over, Gray's coat in hand, glowering at the ice mage.

 **... ... ...**

 **Pantherlily: I'm bored.**

 **Mira: Let's do something!**

 **Erza: Agreed.**

 **...oh no...**

 **... ... ...**

Finally, Gray got his clothes back. All of them. There was just one problem, though. Gajeel seemed to be going insane because there were two Lilys and the iron dragonslayer was convinced that his cat had gone through asexual reproduction.

No, that wasn't what happened, though. It was just a story-Lily and a narrator-Lily.

And Laxus was over there staring in disappointment at the two Mirajanes.

"I didn't know you were asexual..." the lightning mage muttered. "Jeez. Reproducing by splitting yourself, like amoebas do. Didn't know you were into that... whatever, like I care."

And Lucy and Natsu were kissing in a corner - wait WHAT?

"Luce," Natsu moaned, pulling her closer.

"Natsu," she moaned similarly.

Mira would have died or something, seeing this, but she was too busy talking to herself. No, literally. Her doppelganger.

... ... ...

 **Well, come on. I had to have a little fun too! And since it's my story, I can make the characters do whatever I want! ^.^**

 **Erza: I suppose so... I'm going to to now, it looks interesting...**

 **... ... ...**

So yeah. Utter chaos. Not that it's any different for Fairy Tail.

And did I mention the double Erzas who were debating between killing each other, sharing a slice of cake, and terrorizing the guild into calming down?

Hmm.

Somehow, I think this won't end well.

... ... ...

 **Well, that was fun!**

 **Gray: That was WEIRD.**

 **Mira: That was ALL YOUR FAULT, Gray.**

 **Erza: Indeed. *eyes flash with anger***

 **Gray: *swallows and backs away***

 **Lily: Well, I agree with Gray. That was just weird. Anyway, goodbye, readers. I do hope to see you tomorrow.**

 **Me too, baaaiiiiii! ;3**

 **... ... ...**

 **\- EDIT: I apologize, again. Stupid FFdotNet, I swear I posted this! -**


	64. Thank You

**Not much to say other than sorry, again, for not posting the chapter last night. Well, I tried...**

 **Day Sixty-Four**

 **Thank You**

"What's wrong, Lucy?"

"Nothing. Just a feeling..."

A feeling of sudden gratitude for everything Natsu had done for her. From the moment he met her, saving her from that Bora guy's spell, to bringing her to Fairy Tail, to saving her life so many times, to just being there when she needed him.

Natsu was everything to Lucy.

He had done it all. He caught her when she fell. He held her when she cried. Hell, he even fought a dragon for her! And she knew, Lucy knew for certain, that he would do it all again in a heartbeat, because that was just who he was.

Natsu had brought her home, to Fairy Tail. It was, undoubtedly, the best home she'd ever had - full of life and vigor, full of people who cared about each other, and about her. But there was one thing that was special about it.

Natsu.

Natsu was special, he was amazing, and over time, Natsu had become just as much a home to Lucy as the guild itself was. Natsu was her solid rock, her comfort, her best friend, her partner... Natsu was her other half - her _better_ half - and the man she loved.

He had done so much for her, and Lucy just now realized that she had never thanked him before...

She probably should.

So she pulled back from the one sided hug and stood up on tiptoe, kissing him gently on his temple and whispering three words into his ear.

"Thank you, Natsu."

... ... ...

 **Short, but sweet, I think. I loved the NaLu there in the anime/manga, and I decided to embellish it a little, expand on it, and add that teensy side kiss in there! Hope you enjoyed!**

 **Mira: Of course I did!**

 **Gray: Somehow I doubt she was asking you.**

 **Mira: ...**


	65. Par-tay!

***sigh***

 **Mira: ...Kit?**

 **Well, hi, guys. No update yesterday... look, I'm really sorry, but my life has just been so hectic lately. Between that and my internet problems, there will be days when all I've got time for is to scrawl something fluffy out on a piece of paper, to honor my three year challenge - and there will be days when things just don't post.**

 **So for now, if you don't get an update, you can expect the chapter to be up the next day. I am typing/writing a chapter every day, just sometimes, internet - and life too - REALLY sucks.**

 **...so PLEASE be patient with me... ;-;**

 **Mira: ...long speech.**

 ***siiiigghhhh***

 **Gray: Well... guess we should start the chapter...**

 **Day Sixty-Five**

 **Par-tay!**

Mirajane was hosting a party for no reason.

Well, it wasn't like it wasn't out of the ordinary. Mira was... well, Mira! Anyway, it wasn't unusual, but it was certainly unexpected.

Lucy frowned. "Invitations? For what?"

"A party!" Mira squealed, and several Fairy Tail members grinned at one another.

Lucy, however, only frowned more deeply. "But why invitations? You could just announce it to the gui- "

Mira pressed her claws to Lucy's throat in her Satan Soul form. "Read. The. Invitation."

Lucy swallowed. "R-right..."

 _"Hey!"_

Suddenly Mirajane was tossed to the ground. "Don't you _dare_ threaten Lucy like that!" Natsu roared, fists on fire. Lucy groaned.

 _"Natsu_ \- " she started, exasperated, but he didn't hear her, because he was now busy getting pounded to a pulp by Mira.

Lucy dragged Mira off. "Mira, he can't go to your party if he's beaten into the ground! Also, he can't read your invitation like that!"

Mira blinked, as if it had just then occurred to her, which it probably had. She transformed back into her cheery, innocent-looking self. "You're right, Lucy!" she said happily. "Thank you. Here, Natsu, read this!"

Lucy sighed, running her hands through her blond hair. Then she smiled slightly and picked up her own invitation in its cute pink lacy enveloped.

"A party, huh?"

... ... ...

"PAR-TAAAAAAAYYYYYY!"

Lucy's head snapped up. She'd just pulled a dress out of her closet and was preparing to head into the bathroom to change when the familiar laugh and voice of Natsu sounded from her window.

 _Of course..._

"Natsu," she sighed. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be getting dressed for the party?"

Natsu scoffed. "Yeah right. It's just a Fairy Tail party, Luce - whatever Mira says, nobody ever actually dresses up!"

"But the invitation - "

"Aw, forget the invitation. C'mon, let's just go already!"

"But it doesn't start for nearly an _hour_ \- "

"That's be an hour of missed fun, weirdo!"

And so they went to the party. Early, of course, and not nearly as dressed up as the invitation requested. But who cares? It was a Fairy Tail party, after all, as Natsu had said.

A Fairy Tail party which did not involve any Truth or Dare or kissing of any sort. No, no! Not at all! Of course not...

... ... ...

 **I'm tired now... so yeah, that's what I managed to do last night in my little notebook. Sorry guys. It's short and stuff. Anyway, I still have to write today's, so... baaiiiii...**

 **Mira: You seem subdued.**

 **I'm tired, tired, and tired. Of course I seem subdued, Mira...**


	66. Open-Ended Stories and Nashi is Crazy

**I am very tired. Just... bleh.**

 **Day Sixty-Six**

 **Open-Ended Stories and Nashi is Crazy**

Lucy closed the book and planted a kiss on her daughter Nashi's head. "That's it, honey. Goodnight."

Nashi, however, was not about to accept that... immediately, the five-year-old started whining. "Mommy!" she cried. "It's not allowed to end like that!"

"But Nashi, it does end like that, sweetie," Lucy replied patiently. "The prince kisses the princess and she wakes up after a hundred years, and they live happily ever after."

"No!" Nashi cried. "No, Mommy, how do you know they live happily ever after? Do they be a Mommy and Daddy later? Do they wake up Sleeping Beauty's Mommy and Daddy? And all their friends! Do their friends wake up?"

Lucy sighed. "Yes, Nashi, I'm sure they - "

"But _Mommy!"_ Nashi cried again, waving her little fists in the air. "How do you _know?"_

Lucy's patience was by and by beginning to thin. "Honey," she said, her voice a bit tight, "I think you had better go to sleep now. We'll talk about it in the morning - "

"NO!" Nashi screamed. "I NEED TO KNOW _NOW!"_

The little girl leaped up, burst into flames, and raced out the bedroom door, screaming about bad story endings and how much she needed to know and Mommies and Daddies.

"I swear," Lucy fumed as she stormed after her daughter, "I am going to _murder_ Mest. _What_ has he been telling my child?"

Natsu chose that moment to wake up from his little nap on the couch. "Luce," he groaned, "why is Nashi shrieking and running through Magnolia like a mad child and setting herself and everything else on fire?"

"She didn't like the ending to the story I read her."

Natsu sweat-dropped. "Jeez. That girl is crazy."

Lucy glared at her husband. "Well, we both know she gets it from you, genius!"

Natsu scratched his head sheepishly. "Heh, yeah... guess so... erm, don't worry, I'll fix this..."

And that was how everyone in Magnolia was woken to the yelling of Fairy Tail's own Salamander, the uncontrollable shrieking of his daughter, and several random explosions; that was also how half of Magnolia was reduced to rubble in the span of fifteen minutes.

(Not that it was the first time. Nashi wasn't a fan of open-ended stories and never had been...)

... ... ...

 **Hope you guys enjoyed. Another shout-out to Kat for this, who probably died laughing. XD Thanks for reading, guys!**

 **Erza: That's not actually going to happen one day, is it? With Nashi and destroying half of Magnolia?**

 **Gray: *snorts* Erza, it's Flame Brain's kid. Destroying Magnolia will be one of her favorite habits.**


	67. Beautiful

**Haiiiiiiii~**

 **Mira: Hai Kit!**

 **Gray: We now have over 700 reviews... 0.0**

 **On that note... THANK YOU AGAIN, EMPRESS OF EVERYTHING! With her amazing reviews, she bumped this WAAAYYYY up to 711 reviews! OMIGOSHOMIGOSHOMIGOSH-**

 **Erza: Calm down!**

 **Lily: *dodges a flying chair* Why are you throwing things?!**

 **BECAUSE I'M HAPPY! (clap along if you feeeeeel like a room without a roof!)**

 **Gray: Right... uh, let's just do the chapter.**

 **Day Sixty-Seven**

 **Beautiful**

If you asked Natsu to name the most beautiful girl in the guild, he wouldn't have had any trouble at all. Sure, they were all his nakama and he loved them all and they were all pretty and all that, but there was just one who stood out from all the rest...

See, first there was Erza. Beautiful in her own epic, fearsome, sometimes scary way. Her scarlet hair definitely helped her stand out in the crowd, but she wasn't the one Natsu meant when he thought of the most beautiful.

Then there was Levy. Yeah, she was cute, even if she was small and her face was usually stuck in a book. But she wasn't what Natsu thought of at the word "beautiful." Not that he could ever say that in front of Gajeel. The iron dragonslayer would kill him...

Mirajane was classically pretty. Cover girl, looked good in a bikini, shining white hair like no one else he'd ever seen... but she wasn't the only one with thick, gorgeous, shining bright hair. Besides, the girl he was thinking of could easily be a cover girl if she wanted.

And Wendy - well, Wendy was just adorable and that was all. Natsu would never call her anything but beautiful, but her beauty was more childish and adorable.

Lisanna? Okay, he'll admit it, he once had something of a crush on her. And she had good looks. That pretty white hair, even if it was short. Bright, beautiful eyes. She looked nice and she was kind - but Natsu could never give her the title of "most beautiful."

Not when there was Lucy to consider.

Lucy, easily the light of his life, his best friend, the girl he was probably head over heels in love with. Well, he couldn't be sure. Was he really in love? Was he _allowed_ to be in love with her, his best friend and partner? He didn't have much clue as to the whole "love" deal, but Natsu knew without question that Lucy was beautiful.

It was a simple fact. Her shining golden hair, her warm brown eyes, her sweet disposition and caring nature, her slim yet curvy figure, everything about Lucy was absolutely gorgeous - inside _and_ out.

"Wow," Loke says, staring at him in shock. "Tell that to her and you'll beat me for certain..."

Natsu glares at Loke. "Don't you dare tell her anything about this! Look, I answered your question, now go away. You're annoying."

Loke's eyes flashed. He had, admittedly, asked Natsu the "who's the most beautiful" question in order to clear the air: did Natsu have feelings for Lucy, and could they contest with his own? But now, he could see, Natsu's feelings were far from superficial or shallow. He could tell from the way Natsu spoke about her that they had something deep, something amazing, something beautiful.

"She's all yours, Natsu," Loke sighed, as he dissolved into gold and headed back to the spirit world.

Well, Lucy couldn't be the only kind, caring, beautiful girl out there... and Loke did know a certain pink-haired, ram-horned spirit he'd been thinking about for awhile...

Natsu, meanwhile, watched Loke go with a dumbfounded expression.

He knew Lucy was beautiful, he always had, but he had hardly come out and said it before then. Was that why it was only now that he realized something else? Something bigger than he'd ever felt before in his life?

Was that why he only just now realized that he was in love with Lucy Heartfilia?

... ... ...

 **Ooh, some fluffiness and man-to-man talk. Because we all know that NaLu will forever come with a Loke-and-Natsu-convo, right?**

 **Anyway...**

 **Mira: See you tomorrow! *waves***


	68. Cleaning (or Trying To)

**Weeelllllcome to Day 68!**

 **Mira: That's a lot of days.**

 **Gray: Sure is... we're getting close to 100...**

 **Lily: Ahem, no, Gray. We aren't.**

 **Erza: *munches cake* 68, 100, same difference!**

 **Lily: *sweats* Right... Kit, care to correct them on their math?**

 **YUS! Only a couple chapters and we're at 100!**

 **Lily: *sighs* Of course...**

 **Day Sixty-Eight**

 **Cleaning (or Trying To)**

Yep... she was going to do it!

That's right!

And she wasn't going to fail, either! No way - she was going to do it and she was going to do it right!

Lucy was going to properly clean out Natsu's house!

I'm using a lot of exclamation points, why don't I stop that now...

Ahem. Anyway. Lucy was sick and tired of coming into Natsu's (and Happy's, but everyone always forgets him anyway) house and finding a huge stinking mess to contend with. It's not so great to have to hold your nose upon entering your best friend's house - not that she hardly ever needed to, with all the "visits" to her house from Natsu.

Well, that didn't really matter. Lucy still planned on cleaning his house. She planned on a few other things, too, and they are as follows:

 _1\. Do not faint from the dreadful fumes (aka stink)_

 _2\. Do not die from the dreadful fumes (again, what I mean by that is the stink)_

 _3\. Do not throw up over everything after discovering toxic waste (aka moldy food)_

 _4\. Do not attempt to ingest ANYTHING_

 _5\. Don't even go near the kitchen, especially not the fridge_

 _6\. Don't give up after thirty seconds of staring at the hopeless mess_

Knowing the mess in Natsu's house, those conditions would be difficult to stick to... whatever. She'd try.

And so she did.

She almost gave up fifteen seconds in, but she reread her list, steeled herself, and got to work. She wouldn't have tried in a million years to ever eat anything in Natsu's house, so that rule was easy to stick to. And the kitchen... well, she wasn't stupid, and no one with any smarts at all whatsoever would go near that kitchen.

Lucy assumed Natsu was dumb enough to walk in there all the time.

She nearly fainted from the fumes - literally, spots danced before her eyes - and she knows to this day that if she'd fainted in that place it would take about an hour for the stink to just kill her. So it's a good thing she didn't faint.

She did throw up, though. But still. She cleaned it up, so it's okay.

And in the end, Natsu's house was sparkling clean...

 _"Lucy?!"_

Lucy whirled around, and Natsu stood in the doorway, gaping at her. Happy flew in, staring wide-eyed at the clean house.

"You're a miracle worker, Lushee!" the little blue cat cried. Natsu nodded his agreement.

Lucy smiled tiredly. "Well, I was getting sick of the mess, so I figured I'd be doing us both a favor if I cleaned it up!"

Natsu grinned, pulling her into a hug. "Thanks, Luce," he said cheerfully, and she blushed.

"N-no problem, Natsu..."

... ... ...

The next day, of course, Lucy walked in to find an even bigger mess than there had been before she'd cleaned it.

"I give up," she groaned.

... ... ...

 **Mira: *giggles***

 **Gray: *rolls eyes* Only you, Natsu.**

 **Natsu: Oi! I heard that, ice prick!**

 **Everyone: ... ... *stares* ... ... ...NATSU?!**

 **Natsu: ...where am I...?**

 ***poofs Natsu away* YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS EVER!**

 **Natsu: Wha- *vanishes***

 **Everyone: *breathes a sigh of relief***

 **Lily: Right, that was a close one...**

 **Erza: Mmm-hmm. Hope you enjoyed today's chapter, everyone...**

 **Mira: *waves* Buh-bye!**

 **See you tomorrow, folks! *tips hat* This is ChocoChipKitty, signing off!**


	69. Just Another Day in Paradise

***yawn* Me ish sleeeeeeepy.**

 **Mira: *shoves me at computer* WRITE!**

 **Day Sixty-Nine**

 **Just Another Day in Paradise**

Being a mom was stressful, exhausting, and demanding. It took away most of Lucy's free time that she had once used to write, jobs became difficult to find because she could never be away from home for very long, and she got far less sleep at night than was healthy.

The worst part was that it took away from the quality time she got with her husband.

"Luce," Natsu would whine, "I don't wanna go on a job by myself again."

"Go with the team," she'd sigh. "You know how Nashi is. I can't leave her."

"You can pick an easy job that she can come on, too!"

But Lucy shook her head. "I'm sorry. I just can't, Natsu. A wizard job is no place to take a baby."

So, yes. Those were the cons. Being a mom was easily the most taxing job Lucy had ever taken on and would ever take on. However, there were some wonderful things about being a mother... And those certainly outweighed the bad elements.

For one thing, it did take away from the time she was able to spend alone with Natsu, it did create something new: the opportunity for family time.

"Koochy-koochy-koo," Lucy sang, tickling the pink-haired baby girl underneath the chin. "Koochy-koo, Nashi!" The child burbled with laughter.

"Let me try," Natsu said excitedly. He reached out to tickle Nashi's stomach. "Koochy-koochy-WHOA!"

Nashi was laughing so hard, she had burst into flames... and now all three of them were laughing together.

Another wonderful thing about being a mom was the amazing feeling of a little person looking up at you and needing you, loving you with all their little heart and soul. When she was a child, Lucy had rarely felt needed or wanted by anyone but her mother.

After she married Natsu, he openly displayed his love for her, disgusting a few of their guild members but giving Lucy exactly the kind of care and love she had subconsciously craved since her childhood. And now, seeing this little face looking up at her... it made Lucy feel like she truly mattered.

And Lucy knew, without a doubt, that she and Natsu both would show Nashi all the love and care she ever needed. She was their little princess, a child they loved unconditionally, and a symbol of their love for each other.

Lucy cupped Nashi's chubby baby face in her hands and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Being a mom was tough, but it was worth it.

She felt Natsu's arms wrap around her as he nuzzled his face into the back of her neck. "Hey, Luce."

"Hey, Natsu," she greeted warmly, squeezing his hands in hers. She sighed happily. "Nashi's sleeping."

"Mhmm... how are ya holding up?"

She laughed lightly. "Just fine."

He planted a little kiss on the base of her neck. "Just another day in paradise, yeah?"

Lucy let herself sink into his arms.

"Yeah." She closed her eyes and smiled. "It sure is."

... ... ...

 ***yawns again* So, yush, some family mushy goodness. This was inspired by a song that I really like... it's called "Just Another Day in Paradise," and it's really a sweet song. Which inspired this sweet little one-shot!**

 **Mira: Adowwable :3**

 **Gray: Yeaaaaaa...**

 **Erza: *munches cake* Almost as sweet as this icing!**

 **Also, guys, sorry for not responding to reviews lately... I've just been so busy! DX I promise I'll start responding more, though! I will!**


	70. Strong as Titanium

**La la, la-la la-la-la, na na na na-na, la la na-na, la-la la-la-la, na na na na-na... you guys know that song?**

 **Mira: Maaayyyybe...?**

 **I'm coverin' my ears like a kid, when your words mean nothin' I go la-la-la...**

 ***cough* Anyway, it's stuck in my head so yup.**

 **Gray: Okaaayyyy then.**

 **Erza: ~this is my fight song, take back my life song, prove I'm alright sooooo-oooong~**

 **ERZA! That is TOTALLY your theme! How 'bout you, Mira?**

 **Mira: let's see, er... I dunno... ~take me high and I'll sing, OH, you take all of the pain away (away, away) save me if I becommmmme... my de-mons~**

 **Gray: I don't have a theme. *scowl***

 **Lily: Uh... neither do I...**

 **Right, anyway, time for the story. Guys, this one-shot is based off of "Titanium" by David Guetta. Basically everybody knows that song, but if you don't, I'm not kidding when I say it's one of the best, most meaningful songs you'll ever hear - perfectly clean lyrics, too!**

 **Also, this chapter is a bit vague. Those who have read/watched most of the Tartarus arc will know what it's talking about, but for those who haven't, it won't spoil anything, I promise. ;)**

 **Day Seventy**

 **Strong as Titanium**

Sometimes life knocks you down.

Sometimes other people knock you down.

There are even times when you'll find that you knock yourself down.

But this time, Lucy knew, no one was going to knock her down. She'd fallen one too many times before - and that was enough to know that whenever she did fall, she fell hard.

And getting up was too hard, too much of a struggle, for her to risk falling now. Not in the middle of this battle.

It was a life-or-death situation, at this point - and not just for her, but for all of her guildmates. Jackal's smirk made it worse. He acted like he knew he'd won.

But no. She couldn't let that happen; not now. She couldn't fall. She was going to win this battle.

And if it meant making a sacrifice, maybe she'd just have to do that.

... ... ...

That was the hardest - letting go.

She saved everyone's lives, but at an impossible price. A price she never would have even considered paying a few years ago - back when she was younger, freer, more innocent. Since then, though, she'd learned that you couldn't love someone without a price. Love required compromise; sometimes, it required sacrifice. She loved her guild. And so she did what she had to do.

In the end, her decision was the right one. She knew it was.

But it was still hard.

And that sacrifice still hurt.

... ... ...

Lying in her bed, Lucy realized how stupid she'd been.

Since everything happened, since the awful sacrifice she'd had to make - that terrible choice - Lucy had been moping, depressed to no end. But now, she realized what she had done.

She had let herself be knocked down.

The loss was hard, but she needed to move past it. There was more to life than being depressed. She'd never forget, but she could move on.

She had to.

She had fallen, emotionally. She had been shot down by her own decision, her own depression. But that's okay. Because she could always get back up again, couldn't she?

That's right.

She would get up, and she wouldn't let herself fall again.

... ... ...

Lucy was strong. Natsu knew she was, because she had to be.

She had been given too many opportunities to show that strength for him _not_ to notice. The most recent being the worst of all, and the most obvious... and now she was hurting, and what could he do for her? Nothing.

But that was alright, because his Lucy was strong. He knew there would be times when he wouldn't be there to save her, but she was strong enough to get through those times - or at least hold on until he _was_ there to save her.

So even if it was her against the world, well, good luck world. They could fire away all they wanted, but no one - _no one_ \- was going to knock Lucy down. (Even if they could, Natsu wouldn't let them...)

And if she ever _was_ knocked down, even for a moment, Lucy would just get back up again. After all, there was one thing Natsu would always know for certain about Lucy...

She could be as strong as titanium if she tried.

... ... ...

 **So, a bit more subtle NaLu, and very dramatic and Lucy-centric. I figured that if "Titanium" would be a theme for anyone, it would either be Erza, Lucy, or FT in general.**

 **Mira: Agreed.**

 **Gray: Dang, this was intense.**

 **Lily: Indeed, quite deep.**

 **Erza: *still singing* ~my power's turned on, starting right now, I'll be stroooonnng...~**

 **Well, that's that for today... also, a shoutout to one of my many** ** _mirabiles crusta_** **, wiseOldOwl2! For reviewing EVERY ONE OF MY CHAPTERS, pretty much! Lots of** ** _crusta_** **to you and all my other readers!**

 **(Mirabiles crusta = wonderful cookies ^.^)**

 **So, yup, have a good night folks... and see ya tomorrow! ;3**


	71. Dancing and Stuff

**Hai. Not much time today... let's see what I can scribble down!**

 **Day Seventy-One**

 **Dancing and Stuff**

"Luce," Natsu whined, "I can't do dancing!"

"That's why we're learning it," Lucy sighed. In tenth grade at their high school, all of the PE classes had a very long, torturous dancing unit, and Natsu and Lucy ended up being paired together.

Well, he was her best friend, so it wasn't that awkward...

Okay, it was.

"I can't dance, Luce," Natsu said again, and Lucy scowled.

"If you just tried, I'm sure you could!"

"No way!"

"Yeah way!"

"That sounded weird, Lucy, you weirdo."

"I am NOT a weirdo!"

"Sure you are!"

"Ugh, just DANCE with me, idiot!"

"Why should I?!"

"Because we have to for a grade, that's why!"

"Who cares about PE grades anyway, though?"

"I dunno, ME?"

"That's because you're a weirdo..."

"NATSU AND LUCY!" their friend Erza hollered from the other end of the gym. "STOP ARGUING AND GET BACK TO DANCING WITH EACH OTHER OR SO HELP ME I WILL PHYSICALLY FORCE YOU TO!"

...needless to say, they got back to dancing.

... ... ...

 **And that's all, folks! Now I really have to go...**

 **Mira: Bye-bye!**


	72. Fragments

**WARNING!**

 **WARNING!**

 **ANGST ALERT!**

 **(Kat, prepare to cry and then hate me, 'kay? ...Actually, _all_ of y'all can prepare to cry and then hate me. ^.^) **

**(Also, this is from Nashi's POV and Layla is Nashi's little sister/Lucy and Natsu's youngest daughter. Thanks to Link312 for reminding me to clarify on that XD)**

 **Day Seventy-Two**

 **Fragments**

I've been missing you a lot, Daddy.

You've been gone for such a long time... Mommy cries a lot more than she used to, you know. It makes me sad when she cries. Mommy was always supposed to be happy.

But she's not anymore... not now that you're gone.

I remember Mommy used to tell us stories of a long time ago, before you both got married, and before Layla or I were born. The clock story is still my favorite, but the magic game one is good - even if it's a little sad.

Then there's the story of how you left to go train, far, far, away.

That wasn't very nice, Daddy. You shouldn't have left Mommy. She was lonely for a long time. But the good part of the story is when you come back at the end - that's actually a really funny part, because you burn up everything and you totally beat the team that won the games!

But now, this time...

This time you left for good.

Layla started asking where you are. She says, "Mommy, where's Daddy? Where did Daddy go?" I guess it's because she's too little and she doesn't really remember. And she doesn't understand it anyway, so it wouldn't matter if she remembered or not.

Is it better that way? That she doesn't know you died?

I guess it is.

She cried a lot when it happened. So did Mommy, and I did too... even _you_ were crying, Daddy. Which is not supposed to happen. You're too strong to cry, and you're also to strong to... well, you know.

But I guess you're gone anyway.

... ... ...

 _A distraught, desperate scream._

 _"Natsu!"_

 _._

 _A child's panicked cries._

 _"Daddy? Daddy! Mommy, what happened to Daddy?!"_

 _._

 _A baby's despondent wails._

 _"Da-da! Da-da!"_

... ... ...

It was really scary, Daddy. I don't remember much of it - it's all in little pieces. _Fragments_ \- that's a big fancy word Mommy taught me.

I do remember you jumping, though. I remember Layla almost got hit and you jumped and _you_ got hit, instead. And then you were screaming...

It was _so scary..._

... ... ...

 _A mother's terrified shriek._

 _"LAYLA!"_

 _._

 _A father's desperate call._

 _"Layla, no-AGH!"_

 _._

 _The_ _ **thud**_ _of his limp form hitting the ground._

 _._

 _"D-daddy...?!"_

... ... ...

I remember the teensy little fragments, Daddy... I remember Mommy crying, and holding you tight... I remember how Layla didn't understand much, but she was crying anyway. A-and the way you were coughing... you wouldn't stop coughing, and there was blood, and you were shaking and then crying, and you couldn't talk right, and then you stopped moving and...

... ... ...

 **flash**

 _"Natsu, NO!"_

 **flash**

 _"Please get up, please get up..."_

 **flash**

 _"Daddy?!"_

 **flash**

 _"No. No. No..."_

 **flash**

"Nashi? Nashi, what's wrong?!"

 **flash**

"Nashi, listen to me!"

"Wh-what? Mommy...?"

 _Daddy - "NO!" - get up, Daddy - Layla - blood - stopped moving - "someone get help"_

 **flash**

"Tell me your name, Nashi. Talk to me. What's your name?"

"N-Nashi... my name... Nashi..."

 _it's gonna hit him - no - save him - he's coughing - blood - not moving - "NO!"_

 **flash**

"Feel the chair, Nashi. See? The chair? Tell me how it feels, Nashi."

"Um... um... i-it's..."

 _"NO!" - get up - DADDY - someone help - so much blood_

 **flash**

"The chair, Nashi. How does it feel?"

"H-hard... and... um..."

"What's it made of?"

"Wood?"

 _DADDY_

 _"NO!"_

 **flash**

"Shhh, shhh... it's okay... Nashi, who am I?"

"Mommy..."

"And where are you now?"

"Th-the kitchen. At home... at the table."

"That's right, Nashi... shh, it's okay..."

 _DADDY_

 _"NO!"_

 _get up_

 _so much blood..._

"It's okay, Nashi..."

... ... ...

She blinked slowly, then shivered.

"M-mommy?"

Her mother smiled gently down at her. "You had another one of your panic attacks."

"Oh..." Nashi frowned. She knew she had PTSD, post-tramautic stress disorder, from when her dad died. But it had been awhile since she'd had one of those attacks.

"It's alright, honey," Lucy murmured, hugging her daughter. "You're alright. Everything will be okay..."

Nashi nodded, sinking into her mom's comforting embrace. A gentle, cool hand stroked her long pink tresses, and she sighed.

"I miss him a lot..." Her voice cracked a little.

Lucy nodded. "I do, too, sweetheart."

Nashi tried to swallow, but there was a lump in her throat. "Will we ever see him again?"

"Someday, we will."

Nashi smiled. She couldn't wait to see her daddy again. Then her face fell. "I don't remember him so well. It's only in those little pieces. Fr- fra-"

"Fragments?"

"Yeah." She felt the tears coming again. "B-but I still miss him..."

"I miss him, too," Lucy sighed. "It hurts to remember him sometimes. But you can remember the happy times, too. He'd like that. He'd want you to still be happy - to miss him, but with a smile."

Nashi nodded, beginning to understand. "With a smile..." A sudden thought occurred to her. "Do you remember when he swung me and Layla up in the air like airplanes? Layla said she was a spaceship!"

Lucy laughed. "Yes, I remember."

Nashi laughed, too.

She could remember Daddy with a smile. There were so many fragments of memory - sad ones, but also happy ones.

So Nashi could think of the happy fragments, and remember with a smile.

... ... ...

 **Ooh, this one was fun! It came to me out of nowhere, and WHOA! It turned into this! It's SO LONG! *le gasp***

 **Mira: *dabs tears with tissue* Sad, too! HOW COULD YOU?!**

 **Gray: *grumbles* I don't like Ash Face, but I sure don't want him dead. Jeez, Kit.**

 **Lily: Does she write this kind of stuff a lot?**

 **Erza: *munches cake and nods***

 **Indeed I do, much to Kat's incredulity and anger. Kat, this chapter is dedicated to you! :D (she will hate me for this when I see her again this Sunday)**

 **Annyyyyyywaayyyy, bai guys, and see you tomorrow! And thank you to The Keys of Fire by LoneStorm for giving me an idea of how to write realistic PTSD, which I know nothing about it. I hope I didn't screw it up...**

 **Mira: Well, buh-bye! *waves***


	73. In Which Zeref Sneezes

**I'm awfully bored. What do I do now?!**

 **Gray: Uh, write?**

 **YOSH! IT IS TIME FOR LE STORIES OF LE WONDERFULYNESS!**

 **Day Seventy-Three**

 **In Which Zeref Sneezes**

The ten thousand dragons, they're just too much.

Even for Natsu.

For one brief moment, he turns to grin at her, to reassure her. "Don't worry, Luce, everything's fi-"

And then his eyes widen, his pupils shrink, and his mouth hangs open in a silent scream.

The beam of light sinks into his stomach, blowing him backwards a few feet, before ripping out of his back. His form is thrown to the ground.

 _ **"NATSU!"**_

She's lost her right arm, most of her guild mates, and basically everything and everyone she cares about. Lucy and Natsu are the only ones left, besides Levy, who's been separatedThe others are gone. Gajeel, tough as he was; sweet, caring, adorable Wendy; everyone - even little Happy didn't make it.

But this, now, is worse than all of that.

This just _can't be happening._

"Oh, no... n-no..."

Lucy drags him behind a brick wall, as temporary shelter. She cradles him in her lap and presses his hand to her face. It's cold... so cold.

 _Why is it so cold?_

OhpleaseGodno.

Not Natsu. She's lost too much already... far too much.

 _Please,_ she begs silently, _please not him too..._

His eyes crack open just slightly, and he smiles weakly. "O-oh, hey, Luce..."

She shudders with relief, and sobs into him. "N-Natsu! You idiot, I-I thought..."

He starts coughing and convulsing. "I-I'm... sorry, Luce..."

"What?" She stiffens.

"You're gonna..." He winces. "You're gonna hafta protect... y-yourself now. You can... manage that much... yeah, Lucy?"

She shakes her head slowly, hardly comprehending. "Natsu, what are you saying...?"

His breathing is becoming ragged. He's getting colder. "Sorry, Luce... but l-listen, I need to... t-tell you... I..."

He goes limp.

She screams.

... ... ...

"NATSU!"

She wakes up screaming and sobbing, drenched in a cold sweat. And there's someone there, holding her tightly, shouting her name.

"Oh, Mavis, Luce," he whispers, pressing his forehead to hers. She realizes he's crying.

"Natsu...? You're crying..."

He smiles weakly. "You had that nightmare again, didn't you? The one about... you know, the future that never happened. The one where I..."

He breaks off, unable to go on. Slowly, she nods.

"Yes... but Natsu, why are you crying?"

He shakes his head and laughs bitterly. "Lucy, you don't think it's not painful for me to watch you cry like that, do you? You were crying my name, Luce, and I couldn't be there for you... do you have any idea how much that hurt?"

She smiles sadly and pulls him closer to her. "Natsu. You're here for me now. That's all that matters."

He holds her tightly against him, not sure if he'll ever let go. "Wouldn't it be nice if we could never die, Luce? Then we wouldn't have to worry about this stuff..."

... ... ...

Somewhere in the universe, Zeref sneezes.

... ... ...

"Yeah," Lucy agrees. "That would be nice. But since we can't..."

She shocks him by pulling him into a kiss. He freezes at first, shocked, but instinct takes over and he's suddenly kissing her back. Her hands are tangled through his hair. They separate, and she laughs lightly.

"Since we can't, I guess we've just got to make the most of the life we have now, yeah?"

Natsy grins that roguish grin of his and suddenly tackles Lucy, tickling the life out of her and making her scream with laughter.

"Yeah," he agrees, letting her catch her breath. "I guess we do."

... ... ...

 **Urgh... I know I promised you guys a heavy dosage of fluff today... but I just HAD TO! All the AAANNNNNNGGGGSSSSSST - I LOVE IIIIIIITTTTTTTT -**

 **Gray: *rolls eyes* You are _weird._ **

**Erza: *nods* Severely.**

 **Mira: But it wasn't ALL angst!**

 **RIGHT! I half redeemed myself, guys! I did put fluff in there! Flangst, see? Flangst is good. And nobody died this time so it's okay.**

 **Lily: ... well then ...**

 **Gray: *pats him on the back* You'll get used to it, bud.**

 **Lily: ..."bud"?**

 **Erza: I LIKE CAAAAAAAAAKE~**

 **...aaaannnnnd I believe that signals the end of the chapter. Bye, guys! See you tomorrow!**


	74. A Gradual Thing

**Okay, I promised Kat at least 1000 words of pure fluff today. 0-0 And then I'm like, "Crud! Now I have to KEEP the promise!"**

 **Gray: *rolls eyes* Yeah, that kind of comes with the package.**

 **I KNOOOWWWWW! *wails* What if I can't do a full 1000 words?! ...I sound like such a wimp right now... argh! Of course I can do 1000 words! Better yet, 2000 or even 3000! As a gift to y'all for your 800+ reviews! YES! TIME TO PULL OUT ALL OF ZE FLUFF! CHOCOCHIPKITTY IS GETTIN' SERIOUS!**

 **Everyone: *backs away slowly***

 **Mira: Y-you have fun with that...**

 **Day Seventy-Four**

 **A Gradual Thing**

Love sometimes comes slowly.

Sometimes it comes on gradually, like the slow building of a wave as it hurtles toward shore. First it's nothing more than a ripple; then, first only a little but then more and more, it grows and grows until it's too big to ignore.

Love sometimes comes quickly.

Sometimes it hits you like a slap in the face, like a wave crashing down upon you and knocking you into the swirling water below, leaving you dazed and confused and not sure which way is up. Sometimes, then, you panic, not sure what to do or if you're even going to make it out alive.

Unfortunately for Lucy Heartfilia, love came to her in both ways.

For her, it was slow at first: the gradual kind of love. A bright smile on a dark night, a warm hand leading her to Fairy Tail, a sudden fluttering in her chest. She mistook the little flutter as excitement for the new life she was about to start. Later, she would look back on that moment and wonder if it had been a signal of something...

 _More._

But anyway... from the beginning, Natsu was only ever a partner to Lucy. Yeah, so she liked his smile. So he was undeniably hot. So his pink hair rather flattered him, in her opinion. So a lot of things - he was still her partner. Soon enough, her best friend. But never anything more.

She thought that it would stay that way.

She was wrong.

"Best friend" and "partner" were what she insisted upon whenever questioned; after all, that was what he was to her. Mirajane, Happy, Levy, Cana, and even Virgo in one embarrassing moment, all said it was so obvious, and that denial is not just a river in Egypt, and other bad puns and mortifying comments.

Still Lucy insisted. She was sure Natsu was only a friend. What else could he be to her? She could never possibly appeal to him. On that note, no girl could possibly appeal to him, considering he was dense as a brick wall.

And he certainly wasn't Lucy's type. She wanted someone like her, someone she could relate to. All that about "opposites attract" was surely only a bunch of cock-and-bull. Why would you want to be with someone who's the total opposite of you? Why would you want to spend your life with a person who can't relate to you at all and can't possibly know you?

That was her argument to herself, and that was what she stubbornly told anyone who asked.

But, as time went on, things changed. The changes were so miniscule, and happened so slowly, they were hardly noticeable. Mirajane, observant and sharp-eyed as she was, noticed them. Wendy and Gajeel, with their enhanced senses, picked up on things others didn't. But Wendy was too young and innocent to think much of it, and Gajeel didn't much care.

Natsu himself might have noticed, but even if he did, Gajeel and Mira decided he must be dense enough to just not realize what it meant.

The chemistry between himself and Lucy was changing. Their relationship was slowly turning into something else, something neither of them could even fathom. The way they acted around each other became gradually more and more different from the way they had back when they'd first met.

Lucy found herself noticing him more. When she was in the guild, her eyes always seemed to somehow travel to Natsu and stay there, watching the look in his eyes, the way he moved, everything about him. She especially liked it when he smiled. That smile of his came to be one of her favorite things in the world to see.

But it happened so gradually, she didn't even notice the difference.

After a few months of this slow, yet constant changing, it had become clear to just about everyone in the guild: Natsu and Lucy's feelings for each other had become romantic. It was impossibly not to see. Even Wendy put on a shy little smile whenever she saw Lucy or Natsu laughing together or arguing over something stupid.

But as for Lucy and Natsu themselves... well, they both still had yet to notice. And Lucy was clearly in denial, from all the shouting and blushing she did whenever anybody suggested anything between her and her partner. Natsu usually kept silent when this happened, and everyone assumed that he, too, was in denial.

So what to do?

Mira and Cana had a few ideas, but it was Levy who cut in. "Guys," she said, shaking her head, "love doesn't work like that and it isn't supposed to. Just leave them be. They'll notice it, trust me."

... ... ...

Levy was right.

Lucy did notice it, and not long after Levy's little spiel. However, what happened then wasn't nearly anything like what Lucy's guildmates fantasized about.

Because the moment she realized was like a kick to the chest. It knocked the breath out of her and _it hurt_.

She couldn't be in love with Natsu... she couldn't.

It scared her. It _terrified_ her, the thought of being in love with her best friend and partner. Everything they had worked so hard to build over the years - one false move, one awkward rejection, could tear all of that down.

And Lucy couldn't let that happened.

Natsu meant too much to her.

... ... ...

In the end, Lucy did confess to Natsu, but it was in quite an unorthodox way. It was also a complete accident.

He had nearly killed himself in a fight in their latest job, but that was nothing new. Now, as she tenderly changed the bandage on his chest and cleansed the wound for the second time that day, she was giving him a good old-fashioned talking-to.

"You shouldn't have done that, Natsu," she scolded. "I would have been fine, you know."

"But you would have been hurt!" he protested. "What was I supposed to do, just watch you get torn up?"

"You're exaggerating, Natsu," Lucy sighed. "And in answer to your question, yes."

"But Luce - "

"Natsu, you're badly hurt because you were so stupid, see?"

"You would have been hurt worse!" he insisted. "I'm a dragonslayer. I was trained by a dragon since I was like five. My body is tougher than yours!"

"Well, still, I would have been okay in the end!"

"But what if you weren't?"

"What if _you_ weren't, Natsu?"

"Dangit, Luce, don't you _get_ it?" Natsu spat. _"You're more important than I am!"_

"No I'm not!" she shot back, tears forming in her eyes. She slapped the fresh bandage down, making him wince. "I'm in _love_ with you, idiot! I hate seeing you hurt as much as you do me!"

At this, they both froze.

"You..." Natsu stared at her, eyes wide. "You what?"

"I-I..." Well, now that she'd said it, might as well go through with it. "I'm in love with you Natsu. And I think I have been for awhile. You're... everything to me, and even if you don't feel the same way, I guess... I guess it's a good thing you at least know about it." She mumbled the last part, staring down at her feet.

She was expecting a lot of different reactions, and she was ready to accept any of them.

What she was not expecting, however, was a rough, calloused hand grabbing her wrist and dragging her in close for a kiss.

Natsu was a surprisingly good kisser. It didn't take long for her to melt into his warm arms and deepen the kiss, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him closer against her. They pulled back. He was grinning.

"Well," he said, waggling his eyebrows in a knowing way that made her wonder if he was as dense as she'd thought. "Took you long enough. I was startin' to think you'd never fess up!"

And suddenly, she found herself laughing.

... ... ...

 **OVER 1500 WORDS, WHAAAAAAT!**

 **Anyway... fluffy enough, guys? :D**

 **Mira: *squeals so hard she faints***

 **Gray: ...I think that was a yes.**


	75. Liability

**MUST. WRITE. ANGST.**

 **Mira: NO! No killing off characters! I'll have none of it!**

 **Can I do non-death-related-angst?**

 **Gray: ...**

 **Almost-death-but-not-quite...?**

 **Erza: ...**

 **Lily: ...**

 **Gray: ...**

 **Mira: *glares***

 **...eeehhhhhh, whatever, I'll do what I want and let y'all deal with it! ^.^**

 **Day Seventy-Five**

 **Liability**

"LUCY!"

Her name came out as more of a roar than a yell. Natsu was desperate. Lucy, his mate and girlfriend, was standing there, prepared to become a martyr for the sake of Natsu's own safety. She was sacrificing herself, she knew she was about to die, and _she didn't care._

His voice made her turn, casting a weak smile in his direction. It was an "everything's fine" smile, the kind that you knew told a lie from the moment you saw it.

That smile made Natsu want to scream, and so he did.

"LUCY!" he yelled, desperate for her to listen to him. "Don't do this, Luce!" he begged hoarsely. "Don't you _dare!"_ But the blond only shook her head, turning back to the man holding them both captive.

"You can have me," she said quietly. "You can do... w-whatever you want to me." Natsu shivered at her implications. "Just let Natsu go. Leave him be."

The man chuckled, taking Lucy's face in his hands and scrutinizing her. "You are a lovely woman, I can't deny that. And your screams ought to be fun to listen to." Natsu felt a vein pop at that statement. "I suppose a deal can be made..."

Before anyone could react, he thrust out a hand. Natsu saw a glint of silver metal before he realized. There was a shriek and the second of blood, and then there was Lucy, bent over and curled up with her arms around her stomach. Natsu saw the red on her shirt, and his eyes widen.

"Does your offer still stand?" the man asked casually.

Lucy slowly stood upright again, though she still held her stomach. "Y-yes," she choked out.

"NO!" Natsu yelled, slamming himself against the bars of his cell.

"Very well," the man agreed. "Guards, bind the Salamander and dump him outside. I don't believe we need him any longer.

Natsu felt the metal chains lash out and snap around him, cutting his skin, so he had to bite his cheek to keep from crying out. They dragged him out of the cell, yanking on the chains that held his neck and arms. Natsu gritted his teeth as his face was dragged through the dirt.

He would not cry out. He would not.

He would rescue Lucy.

It took mere seconds for him to be on his feet, bashing the heads of guards and tearing off the chain. They may have taken his magic, but their was nothing that could hold back his brute strength. Once the chains were gone, there was magic coursing through his veins again, and he knew the tables had turned.

He was vaguely aware of the pain from blows he received throughout the battle, but he mostly ignored it all. He couldn't focus on that now. He just couldn't.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried once it was over, stumbling toward him, now that their captor was completely unconscious. "Oh Mavis, Natsu, I - "

But he cut her off with a kiss.

"Don't you ever," he snarled when they broke off, _"ever_ do that again. Do you hear me? You are _never_ allowed to sacrifice yourself for me."

But she only smiled, and this time, it was a real smile.

"Okay, Natsu," she said, pulling him in for another kiss. "I won't."

He shook his head, pushing her back gently. "That's a lie. You have to promise."

"Then you promise you won't!"

At this, he frowned. "Luce, I can't - "

"And neither can I," she sighed. "Guess that makes us a liability to each other, ne, Natsu?"

He pulled her close and rested his chin on her head. "Yeah, I guess it does."

... ... ...

 **Well? Fluffy enough?**

 **Mirajane: Hmmmmmmmm...**

 **Gray: *shrugs***

 **Erza: Well, it did have a solid fluffiness to it. There was angst there though. *glares***

 **Lily: Angst seems to be her favorite one-shot genre...**

 **Yeah, it is, so lay off a bit, guys... DX**

 **Mira: *grins* Well, readers, we'll be seeing you tomorrow. Bye-bye!**


	76. Taco Monday!

**Herroooowwwwsss... I'm blanking on what to write. It needs to be quick, though. :/**

 **Mira: Just some crack?**

 **Yeah, been awhile since I did some of that. ^.^**

 **Lily: I haven't seen much of your crack yet...**

 **Gray: Well, brace yourself, then.**

 **Day Seventy-Six**

 **Taco Monday!**

"Luce," Natsu groaned from over the phone, "it's Monday... that means school again!"

"So?" she replied as she got dressed. "Don't you like school?"

"Lucy, you weirdo!" Natsu cried, exasperated. "Only people like Levy and you actually _like_ school!"

"Fine, fine," she mumbled. "Listen, I have a surprise for you. Trust me, this will make Mondays much more fun."

"Yeah, right," he replied, and though she couldn't see him, Lucy knew immediately that he was rolling his eyes. "Like anything could make Mondays _fun_."

"Oh, you'd be surprised," Lucy said, smiling slyly. "You'd be very surprised."

... ... ...

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

It was lunchtime now, and Lucy had shown up with her little surprise: an enormous bag of homemade tacos for all of her friends. And I do mean _enormous._

The group had collectively exclaimed at this, and they were all clearly excited...

"Omigosh YES!" Levy screamed, snatching three tacos out of the bag.

"Tacos," Erza said dreamily, taking one slow, exaggerated bite of hers. "Almost as lovely as cake..."

"Sweet," Gray said, grinning, as he swallowed taco after taco.

But their reactions were nothing compared to Natsu's.

"WOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he yelped, dashing around the cafeteria and juggling tacos before eating them all and grabbing more. "TACOTACOTACOTACOTACOTACO-"

"Natsu, calm down - " Lucy started, but he interrupted her by picking her up, bridal style, and leaping across tables with her in his arms.

"I LOVE YOU, LUCY! AND TACOS! I LOVE TACOS! TACOTACOTACOTACOTACO-"

"Tacos!" Levy and Erza cried joyously, jumping into piles of tacos while Gray, clad in taco-patterned boxers, made a tacoman.

"TACOS ARE SO MAN!" Elfman roared, joining in on the gig.

"TACO PARTY!" Lisanna and Mira cried, tossing tacos in the air like confetti.

And that is how tacos came to be banned at Fairy Tail High.

(Particularly on Mondays.)

... ... ...

 **Aaaannnnd there you have it!**

 **Lily: ... 0.0**


	77. Toothy's Scared

**Time for Nashi cuteness, guys! :3**

 **Mira: YAY!**

 **Day Seventy-Seven**

 **Toothy's Scared**

As Lucy left the bedroom and turned out the lights, a little voice sounded from within.

"Mommy, no! Don't turn off the lights, please!" Nashi's voice clearly told Lucy that the little girl was on the verge of tears.

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry," Lucy soothed, flipping on the light switch in the hall and opening the bedroom door a bit wider. "There, now you have the hall light, see? You won't be scared now."

The five-year-old, however, did not like the implications of that statement. "Hey," she protested, "I'm not scared of the dark! That's for silly babies, and _I'm_ a _dragon!"_

"Right," Lucy agreed, too tired to argue. "I know, sweetie. But you do want the hall light on, don't you?"

Nashi pouted. "Nuh-uh. It's not me who wants the lights on! It's Toothy!"

Lucy raised an eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe. "Toothy, huh? I didn't know he was scared of the dark." Toothy was Nashi's little red stuffed dragon, which she had received two Christmases ago.

"Right," Nashi continued. "He's suuuuuper scared, always, because he's only a baby dragon and baby dragons do NOT like darkness... okay, Mommy?"

"Okay," Lucy agreed. "That makes sense. Now, goodnight, Nashi."

"'Night, Mommy!"

As Lucy walked down the hallway, however, a little voice called her back.

"Mommy, Toothy needs some water _right now!"_

... ... ...

 **Aw, she's so cuuuuuuuute~!**

 **Mira: *nods* Nashi is the cutest little thing EVER.**

 **Gray: Ugh, Flame Brain's kid is just ridiculous...**

 **Erza: *pulls out swords, eyes flashing* YOU DARE BASH NASHI'S CUTENESS?!**

 **Gray: *pales* S-sorry! I -**

 **Mira: THIS IS UNFORGIVABLE! SATAN SOUL! *becomes a demon***

 **Gray: *gulps* Look, I didn't mean -**

 **ATTAAAAAAACCCK! *pulls out deadly Imperial Gold pen and throw-able laptop***

 **Lily: *watches, bemused* Well... see you tomorrow, readers?**


	78. Shatter Point

**Hee hee hee...**

 **Mira: 0-0**

 **Lily: Please tell me there is a rational, non-crazy reason for that laugh that does not involve writing.**

 **Well, no promises... I got an angst request from Shadow Drade and this idea from one of Empress of Everything's many reviews. THANKS, GUYS! :3**

 **Day Seventy-Eight**

 **Shatter Point**

"If worse comes to worst... cover her ears, Natsu."

Natsu stared, wide-eyed, at his wife. She placed one pale hand on his cheek, gently caressing his face. "Can you promise me that?"

He shook his head. "Luce, you can't - "

"I'm going to be fine, Natsu," she murmured, capturing his lips in hers to prevent him from responding. "I'm not really going to die. I'm only going to let him hurt me. Just a little, to let his guard down. Then we'll all escape together okay?"

Natsu shook his head again, eyes tearing up. "Please, Lucy... let me..."

"He won't believe you," Lucy chastised. "A lot of people think I'm weak without my keys. I can do this, Natsu. Just promise me you'll cover her ears if things get bad."

The dragonslayer glanced down at the tiny four-year-old girl in his arms. Their daughter, Nashi. She was covered in scratches, her pink curly locks dirty and tangled.

"Fine," he mumbled. "Just - promise me worse won't come to worst. Please, Luce..."

She shook her head. "I can't promise you that, Natsu."

Natsu grasped her hand. "I-I love you, Lucy," he choked out.

She smiled weakly, squeezing his hand. "I love you too."

And then she stood, leaving Natsu behind with Nashi. His magic supply was drained completely - some sort of magic-power-sucking-out-thing they'd used - and Lucy's keys had been stolen. The family of three was hidden in a dark closet within the enemy's HQ, believed by the enemy to be dead, with no hope of escape... besides this hastily conjured plan.

Now Lucy stepped out of hiding.

Natsu closed his eyes, listening carefully but covering Nashi's ears so he could hear a thing. He heard yelling. Then there was cold, cruel laughter. Lucy screamed, and Natsu felt a sharp pang in his chest. No. No...

Lucya screamed again, and then she was crying. He could hear her crying. "Please, please, don't..." he heard her beg.

He knew it had to be an act. He knew she was fine.

She had to be.

But that didn't stop the surge of panic, the shattering feeling in his chest as she sobbed and screamed...

Lucy was his shatter point, and he felt himself slowly cracking now.

"Lucy," he whispered, trembling.

Then, suddenly, there she was again, and there was more yelling. "Let's go!" she yelled, her voice hoarse, grabbing Natsu's hand. They ran, Nashi safe in Natsu's arms.

By the time they had escaped, Natsu was crying freely.

"Why are you crying?" Lucy whispered, gently wiping the tears from his face.

"Because you were," he choked out, and suddenly she was wrapped in his arms. "Mavis, Luce... you have no idea... I thought you..."

"Hey," she murmured, returning the embrace. "Hey, it's okay, Natsu. I'm okay, see?"

"You're bleeding." He lightly brushed the wound in her side with his fingers, feeling her wince just slightly. "Lucy, you should've let me - "

"No," she cut him off. "No, Natsu. You know why it was me."

Natsu was shaking now, his voice cracking. Lucy screaming, Lucy crying, Lucy begging for mercy... her voice played in his head.

"I don't care," he found himself saying. "Next time, you're not doing that. Y-you hear me?" He didn't mean for it to, but his voice cracked.

He felt her nod and was satisfied. He wouldn't let her get hurt like that again. Never. He was not about to sit useless in a closet again - not when he was there to protect her.

Because Lucy was his shatter point.

Tap it, and he cracks... hurt Lucy, and he begins to shatter.

... ... ...

 **There you go. Oh, hey, where'd Gray go? Is he still hurt?**

 **Erza: Very.**

 **Good, he needs to learn not to bash Nashi's cuteness. Just like with your cake, Erza! ^.^**

 **Erza: *nods sagely***

 **Mira: That's right... anyway, bai-bai and see you tomorrow!**


	79. Chapter 79

**Hai?**

 **Mira: Hai.**

 **Blech. 'M tired. Stuff going on and all that. MEH LIFE ISH TOO BUSY *^***

 **Gray: So... what about writing?**

 **Uh, I don't know... um... um... I'm... um...**

 **Erza: Just write Natsu being cute.**

 **Sounds good! :D**

 **Day Seventy-Nine**

 **A Good Father**

"Ashes, ashes, we all fall down!"

Lucy watched, bemused, as Wendy, Asuka, and the Exceeds played ring-a-round-a-rosy for the fifth time. Wendy and the cats were only doing it to entertain Asuka, of course, but they seemed to be having fun as well. (Except Charle... she just looked bored...)

That was when Natsu walked in. He glanced at Asuka and grinned slightly. Before Lucy could blink, the little girl was up in the air, being tossed up and down.

"Happy, let's fly!" the pink-haired boy called, and Happy grabbed his shoulders and lifted him into the air, with Asuka in Natsu's arms. She screamed with laughter.

Natsu passed Asuka down to Bisca and landed beside Lucy. "Hey there, Luce," he greeted cheerfully.

She frowned at him. "You'd make a good father, you know..."

Natsu cocked his head. "Eh?"

"Wh-what?" Lucy said, blushing. "Um- I didn't - er, forget that, okay?! I didn't say that!"

"Um... okay..."

Lucy ran away, blushing, leaving Natsu staring after her in complete confuzzlement.

But then, this is Natsu we're talking about. Being confuzzled isn't that uncommon for him, anyway.


	80. Chapter 80

**So tired. THIS WEEKEND IS REALLY BLEH FOR ME. Too much tiredness and stuff and busy-ness... =_=**

 **Mira: Just write a one-shot.**

 **Merf. Fine.**

 **Day Eighty**

 **When Everything's Dark**

They were stargazing. Just stargazing, nothing more, and just as friends. Nothing special, right?

"Your eyes are beautiful, Luce," Natsu said suddenly.

Lucy gasped slightly at that. "Th-thanks... Natsu..." she stammered.

Since when did he call her beautiful?

Since when did he call _anyone_ beautiful?

"Like the stars," the dragonslayer continued. "They remind me of your eyes. Even when everything's dark, they're still shining, y'know? When you're scared, and it looks like we're all gonna die, your eyes are still shining. Lightin' up the night... just like all the stars."

Lucy stared.

It was the closest thing to romantic that she had ever heard Natsu say, and it was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. She smiled and took his hand.

 _When everything's dark..._

"But they shine when everything's bright, too," Lucy added quietly. "Like right now..."

Natsu grinned.

"That's right, Luce," he said cheerfully. "Just like now."

And so they stared into the night sky, just two friends... but maybe a _little_ something more.


	81. Chapter 81

**Hai guys. I'm late for yesterday and the day before, but my weekend just sucked and was busy. Well, no, it didn't suck, because I was busy doing fun stuff, but I was still busy... sowwy! ;~;**

 **Gray: Ugh, just write today's already.**

 **Fine, fine!**

 **Day Eighty-One**

 **Daydreaming**

Lucy's being a weirdo again.

I mean, jeez. Who just stares into space like that for like a bajillion hours straight? Her eyes look kinda funny - I mean, pretty, like they always are, but kinda glazed over, y'know? Ugh. Someone should bring her back to Earthland. Maybe _I_ should...

...oh, look. There's a teensy bit of drool on the corner of her mouth. Hm, that's kind of cute... maybe I'll leave her like that for a bit. Now she's mumbling something. Hey, did she just say my name? I swear I heard my name... like, from Lucy's mouth...

Lucy's mouth is cute, too. Her lips are big and pink and if kissing wasn't gross, it might be nice to kiss her. Except kissing is gross. So ew, no. I think she's humming now. I love it when she hums, it's adorable and it sounds nice. But it distracts me, so I always tell her to stop. (She doesn't like when I tell her that.)

"Natsu?"

"Heeeyyy... Earthland to Natsu..."

Eh? What? "Oh... hey, Lucy... what's going on?" I ask, frowning.

She shrugged. "You were staring at me and mumbling my name and stuff. What were you thinking of?"

I blink and stare at her.

Wasn't _she_ the one who...? ...oh, forget it. "Nothing! Let's go on a job, Luce!"

"Oh - oh, okay! Coming, Natsu!"

I grin.

Lucy's such a weirdo, but whatever. That's one reason why I love her so much...

"Wait... what?" Lucy turns to stare at me. _"What_ did you just say?"

...oooohhhhhh _crud._

 **... ... ...**

 ***yawn* There ya are, guys.**

 **Gray: You better go to bed.**

 **Erza: Agreed.**

 **Whaaaaaat?! It ain't even that late! I got more reading fanfiction to do! Well, hope y'all enjoyed... IMMA GO READ FANFICS AND STUFF SO SEE YA SUCKEERRRRRRRS!**


	82. Never Look Back

**It's writing time. And I've had quite a day.**

 **Mira: What are you writing today?**

 **Ooh, you'll see... just some drabbly, sad stuff based on what Natsu does after the Tartaros arc. It's a spoiler for those who haven't read the manga, but it doesn't give away much. I found out about it beforehand and I was fine, though it does make it slightly less shocking when you actually read it.**

 **Anyway, hope you likey!**

 **Day Eighty-Two**

 **Never Look Back**

He figured it wouldn't be too hard. After all, it was only a little while... a year, maybe two. But in the moments before he actually set foot outside his door, Natsu hesitated.

How could he do this? How could he just leave his friends - how could he just leave _her?_

And of course, by _her,_ he meant Lucy. The first girl to truly make him happy since Lisanna, but she did more than Lisanna had done. Lucy gave him purpose. Lucy gave him reason to fight and to live. Lucy helped him see that there could be more to his life than beating the next strongest person and finding Igneel. And, gradually, she had found a place in his heart that could never be replaced.

Natsu shook his head. He was only leaving to get stronger so he could protect her and everyone else. Just _once,_ he hadn't been able to save Lucy, and it was her amazing strength that saved the whole guild - but that single time had been enough. Natsu didn't want her to have to do all that again. He didn't want Lucy to have to make any more sacrifices because he wasn't strong enough.

So that meant he just had to be strong enough.

And that was why he was leaving.

She could handle herself, for a year. It was just a year, after all. That's all. She'd be fine - she'd have the guild - she'd have her nakama. She'd be okay.

But he still felt guilty leaving her behind.

After all, Natsu had come to realize that his feelings for Lucy were... _different_. And he could tell she felt the same, much as he tried to deny it.

Natsu shook his head.

He had to do this. He had to, for her, and for everyone...

(...but mostly for her...)

So Natsu stepped out the door, closed it, and walked away from his home. Away from Fairy Tail. Away from Magnolia. Away from his nakama and everything he'd known since Igneel vanished.

And, much as he wanted to, he never once let himself look back.

... ... ...

 **WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH**

 **Mira: It wasn't THAT sad...**

 **I KNOW! WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! B-but I'm sad 'cause I just rewatched the Future Lucy you-know-what scene... WAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! *sobs***

 **Gray: Um... okay then...**

 **Erza: er... sayonara, minna...**

 **V-vala, mirabiles crusta...**

 **Lily: *eating a kiwi in the corner without a care in the world***


	83. It's Okay to Be Sad

**Hiya folks!**

 **Mira: Yo! Wassup, bruh!**

 **Gray: Howdy, mah darlin'!**

 **Erza: Greetings, dear reader.**

 **Lily: Kon'nichiwa, kodomo-chan!**

 **...I think you guys were all OOC just now except maybe Erza...**

 **Day Eighty-Three**

 **It's Okay to Be Sad**

Nashi could remember a time when she had lost her stuffed dragon, Toothy. It was a long time ago, when she was very young - six at the most - but she recalled being so distraught, she had refused to leave her room.

"Honey, come out, please," her mom had called gently.

"No," she said stubbornly.

"C'mon, sport," her dad had implored. "No good sittin' in there all by your lonesome. We'll find Toothy, sweetheart."

"Go away!" she cried angrily.

But then little three-year-old Stella had come knocking, asking to play. Nashi would have said no, but her sister was just too cute to ignore.

"You sad?" Stella asked, patting Nashi's knee. "Nasee sad?"

"Nasee" nodded, lifting her head. "I lost Toothy."

"Toofy come back," Stella insisted. "P'omise."

Nashi shook her head. "I miss him."

"It okay," Stella replied, hugging her big sister. "It okay to be sad."

Nashi smiled, hugging her back. "Thanks, Stella."

Now, Nashi was fourteen years old, and Stella was eleven. Stella had also just gotten friend-zoned by her crush, Simon. Simon was Emma's little brother, Erza and Jellal's kid, named for their old friend. Simon was definitely cute, kind, and also very shy.

Well, Nashi THOUGHT he was kind, until he (with a death wish, apparently) rejected Stella's feelings.

Well, sure, it was only a crush. A kiddie thing. But it hurt Stella - really badly. And now she was crying in Nashi's arms.

"Shhh," Nashi murmured, stroking her sister's golden hair. "It's alright, Stell'. I'll go beat him up if you want. See how he likes my Fire Dragon's Roar, eh?"

But Stella shook her head. Nashi sighed and rested her chin on Stella's head.

"It's okay to be sad," Nashi said gently, Stella's own words coming back to her. "It's okay to cry."

Stella didn't respond, but sought out Nashi's hand, and she gave it a squeeze.

Nashi smiled.

Even at three years old, Stella had already been the most caring person on the planet, and definitely one of the smartest. Nashi knew without a doubt that Stella was better than her, inside and out.

Now... time to go teach that Simon jerk a lesson...

... ... ...

 **I just adore Nashi and Stella's relationship, which I totally just invented out of the blue. I decided that, since Lucy is a Celestial mage, why not name her younger daughter after the stars?**

 **Mira: *high five***

 **Gray: Bye, guys.**


	84. Whaddaya Mean, Feelings?

**Ah, it's Day 84 and I'm feelin' fresh! Get ready for plenty of fluff and Lucy's blushing and denial!**

 **Mira: *grins* I'm already ready! I was BORN ready! In fact, I was ready BEFORE I was born! I was ready back when my parents first -**

 **Gray: AAAAAAAAAAaaaannnnnd that's all we need to know, Mira...**

 **Erza, Lily, me: 0-0**

 **Day Eighty-Four**

 **Whaddaya Mean, Feelings?**

Holy cow, Natsu looked hot today.

I mean, HO. LY. COW. He looked _good._ Lucy didn't normally pay attention to the looks of anyone in the guild - the Fairy Tail guys were hot, yeah, but it wasn't like she didn't see them every day, and it's not like she didn't ship them all with other girls.

Well, except for Natsu.

She never shipped him with anyone except... er, well... _cough cough_... n-no one, of course!

But today?

Today Lucy COULD NOT IGNORE Natsu. What made him so different today, she hadn't a clue, but he looked good and there was no possible way she could deny it.

"Natsu looks hot," Lucy said, blinking.

Levy fell out of her chair. "WHAT?!"

"He looks _hot,_ Lev! I don't know, is he wearing something different, or - don't tell me don't notice it too!"

Levy frowned. "Noooooo... Natsu doesn't look any different than normal today, Lu-chan..." Realization dawned upon her, and her eyes widened. She cast her friend a sly smile. "Lu-chan... are you sure _you_ aren't the one who's looking at _Natsu_ a little different today?"

Lucy blushed furiously and shook her head. "No! Of course not! Levy, we've been through this - "

" - and I insist the same thing every time - "

" - and I DO NOT have any feelings for Natsu, I SWEAR!"

...

...There was a pause.

 _Natsu had walked over to the two of them._

 _Ooooohhhcrudohcrudohcrudohcrud -_

"...Luce...? Whaddaya mean, _feelings?"_

...

...

...

"...LUCY KICK!"

... ... ...

 **Aaaaannnnd that is how Lucy now solves all her problems. KICK IT!**

 **Mira: *rolls eyes***

 **Lily: Well, that was... ah... ehehe...**

 **Gray: Same, bud. Same. *pats back* We ALL feel the same. (Except maybe Mira.)**


	85. Falling Star

**I need some stuff today.**

 **Lily: Stuff?**

 **Yeah. Plot stuff.**

 **Erza: Plot stuff?**

 **You know, like, that woooorrrrddd... inspiration!**

 **("woooorrrrddd" just auto-corrected to Wookieepedia 0-0 what da heck?! )**

 **Gray: Er, how about... cookies?**

 **Meh, no. Something I can do QUICK.**

 **Mira: Falling stars!**

 **PERFECT! :D**

 **Day Eighty-Five**

 **Falling Star**

Lucy, Nastu thought, was like a falling star.

She shone so brightly in the sky. She whizzed through, catching everyone's eye. People loved her. She was beautiful.

But shooting stars don't last forever. Natsu knew that much. Once they're gone from the sky, they fade. Vanish. Disappear. And they are forgotten.

He couldn't let Lucy be forgotten. He _wouldn't_ let her!

After the return from Tenrou Island, though, when they found out that her father was dead - that was when Natsu began to get scared. She stopped smiling. She hung her head. She cried a lot. She seemed sad all of the time, and to Natsu, it definitely seemed like she was fading.

"Luce," he asked one day, "what happens to shooting stars when they're done falling? Do they" - he swallowed, dreading the answer - "die, o-or something?"

But to his relief, she only laughed. "Oh, no," Lucy said, shaking her head. "They don't actually fall. They keep moving through space. We just think they fall because they go where we can't see anymore."

"Oh," Natsu Saud, beginning to understand. He grinned. That was _perfect._ "Thanks, Luce!"

Now Lucy reminded him more than ever of a shooting star. She shines bright, and though there may be times when it seems she's faded, she suddenly comes back, brighter and more beautiful than ever.

... ... ...

 **Some drabbly, a bit cliché stuff... but come on, it's so perfect! Lucy = shooting star! :D**


	86. Met You Twice

**Coooooooooooooooool! Cool, cool, coooooooooool, bro!**

 **Mira: You sound like that Sorcerer Weekly guy, Jason. =_=**

 **That's way cooool, Mira!**

 **Gray: Are you... feeling alright?**

 **Yeah, bruh! I'm coooooooooooooool!**

 **Lily: Should we take that as a no?**

 **Naw, bruh, I said I'm cooooooooooooool!**

 **Erza: She is most certainly NOT feeling well...**

 **Day Eighty-Six**

 **Met You Twice**

I am a loser.

It doesn't matter that I'm on the football team. It doesn't matter that my two best friends are the most popular girl in school and the most popular guy. _None_ of that matters when a kid's born with pink hair, like I was.

(By the way, people, IT IS NOT _PINK_. MY HAIR IS _SALMON_. But nobody actually cares, and everyone says it's _pink_ anyway. I gave up correcting people in, like, second grade.)

So, yep. Thanks to my really weird mutation genes, I'm a loser, but... well, like I could change it. I could have dyed my hair some other color, but the thing is, Lucy likes it. It may be my own personal bull's-eye, but _I_ like my hair, and since Lucy likes it too, there's no way I've got the guts to change it.

So now what?

Stick with being the loser, I guess.

Gray is my best friend, despite the fact that we fight a lot. He and Lucy are two of the only kids who like me for who I am, and who see past the color of my hair. Erza, Mira, Wendy, Gajeel, Lisanna, Levy... they all do, too, but Erza and Mira are older, Wendy is my (foster) sister, Gajeel usually keeps to himself, and Lisanna and Levy hang out with Lucy more. So that leaves Lucy and Gray.

Gray and I are on the high school football team together. Yeah, we're best buds and all that, but nobody seems to see that. They say stuff like, "Jeez, Gray, why do you hang with that loser so much? Pink hair, and he wears that stupid scarf all the time, even when it's hot. Pfft, what a loser. You gotta feel sorry for him." Same goes for Lucy, too.

Nobody notices when I score well on a test. Nobody notices when I score the winning touchdown in a game. Besides my friends, everyone just looks right past me. They did notice the one time I dropped the ball, though. They did notice the one time I failed a quiz because I'd been absent and the teacher hadn't bothered to catch me up.

So now I'm not just a loser. I'm a stupid, straight-F, clumsy loser who only got onto the football team because Gray felt sorry for me and asked the coach to let me on the team.

 _None_ of it's true besides the loser part, but my few friends are the only ones who see that. They've all known me since kindergarten, all because of Lucy...

... ... ...

The little blond girl smiled at me. "Hi," she said happily. "What's your name?"

It was the first day of kindergarten. I'd always been the chatty, outgoing type, but that changed the moment kids started laughing at my hair. Now, a few hours into the morning, I glared at her. Surely she was only going to tease me... "Leave me alone," I snapped. The girl flinched, her big brown eyes widening. Mine widened, too, the moment I realized that she _hadn't_ been about to tease me.

"I-I - " I started to say, but she ran off.

The next day, however, she approached me again, this time with a dark-haired, droopy-eyed kid. She looked nervous. "H-hi again," she said quietly. "I-I'm sorry if I said something bad yesterday. I... I didn't mean to."

I frowned. "You didn't say somethin' bad."

"Then why'd you yell at her?" the droopy-eyed boy asked irritably.

I looked away. "I was just mad. I have stupid hair and a stupid scarf and I look weird so people don't like me. I thought _she_ wouldn't like me. So I wanted her to go away and not laugh at me."

The blond cocked her head. "I wasn't gonna laugh! That's mean!"

I sighed. "Well, sorry for yelling at you."

She smiled. "It's okay! My name's Lucy. You're... N... Natsu?"

I broke into a grin. "Yup. Who's the droopy-eye-kid?"

He scowled. "My _name_ is _Gray_."

"Okay, cool," I replied cheerfully.

From that moment on, we were best friends. She introduced me the rest of her little posse, and we played for the rest of the day. Then, as Lucy was leaving school with her mom that afternoon, she gave me a hug.

"Bye-bye, Natsu," she said happily. But I had a question.

"Why'd you wanna be my friend?" I asked. "You don't even know me. You've never met me before."

"That's not true," Lucy said, eyes wide. "I met you yesterday, too. So that's twice. I met you twice, see? And besides - "

"Let's go, honey," her mom called.

"Gotta go, bye!" she broke off. I stared after her.

Well, it wasn't an answer to my question, but that was okay.

I guess you don't need any more reason than that to be friends with somebody.

... ... ...

The rest of them all rose to popularity pretty quickly over the years. Maybe if I'd dyed my hair or something, I could have too, but I liked my hair, and Lucy said she did too. I came to the realization that I "like-liked" her in fourth grade, and those feelings never really left. But for now, I guess I'm fine with just being friends.

Every day when I see my friends, who smile at me and love me for who I am, every day I thank my lucky stars that I met Lucy Heartfilia, the kindest girl in the world over. Lucy Heartfilia: the girl who met me twice.

... ... ...

 **So this is a bit of an introduction to my high school AU. All my other high school AU one-shots can be considered part of this one, I guess, and from now on they will ALL be part of this AU, so keep that in mind! ;)**

 **Mira: Buh-bye, readers!**

 **Byeeeee! Y'all are coooooooooooooool!**


	87. Happy Birthday, Dear Candy-chan

**_OMIGOSH OMIGOSH OMIGOSH OMIGOSH OMIGOSH OMIGOSH OMIGOSH_**

 ** _OMIGOSH_**

 ** _THIS IS CRAZY_**

 ** _I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT BELIEVE THIS_**

 ** _I. HAVE. 1,000+ REVIEWWWWWWWSSS!~~~~~_**

 ** _SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!~~~~_**

 **Mira: Whoa. Talk about a real reaction.**

 **Gray: No kidding...**

 **Lily: 0-0**

 **TO CELEBRATE, I SHALL -**

 **Erza: *sigh* You're still on caps lock.**

 **I KNOW! :D TO CELEBRATE, I SHALL WRITE AN EXTRA-SPECIAL CHAPTER OF FLUFF, CRACK, AND NATSU BEING AWKWARD AND ADORABLE! ARE. YOU. READY?**

 **Mira: YES!  
**

 **Good, but I'm saving that for tomorrow. _TODAY_... I'm celebrating nerdcandy's late birthday with a super special one-shot. Here's to you, nerdcandy, and I'm super happy you were born because you're smart, kind, hilarious, a loyal reviewer, and all things wonderful! ;D Thank you! **

**Day Eighty-Seven**

 **Happy Birthday, Dear Candy-chan**

Mira, Gray, Erza, Lily, and a girl with brown hair and cat ears crashed Fairy Tail and threw a party one day.

This was, of course, to celebrate a certain special reviewer's birthday!

"HEY GUYS!" the girl yelled. "I'M KIT AND LET'S PAR-TAYYYYYYYY!" She grabbed another girl (this was Candy, by the way) and dragged her on screen(?). "WE NEED CAKE!"

"On it!" Mira said decisively, pulling Lisanna with her into the kitchen.

"WE NEED DECORATIONS!" Kit yelled next.

"Got it," Pantherlily agreed, pulling Gajeel and Levy along, with Asuka trailing along after Lily.

"AND WE NEED CANDLES!"

"Hehehe," Natsu said, rolling up his sleeves. "I can - "

"NO!" the guild shouted in unison.

"Okay," Mira said, bringing out a cake covered in _"x"_ amount of lit candles.

"Ready," Lily announced once the guild had been decorated.

"Happy birthday to yoouuuuu," the guild sang. "Happy birthday to yooooouuuu... happy birthday, dear Candy-chan, happy birthday to yooouuuuu!"

Candy blushed. "Oh, th-thank you..." Then she ran up and said to Natsu, "Can I have a birthday wish?"

"Um... sure?" the dragonslayer said, blinking.

"Kiss Lucy," Candy demanded.

Natsu and Lucy stared.

And over in the center of the room, Kit threw confetti into the air and cheered.

... ... ...

 **Right, there. Since Candy-chan and I have become pretty good friends, she totally deserved this. Sorry it was late... I wasn't sure quite what to do, but I figured this would be perfect! :3 Hope you like, Candy-chan!**

 **Mira: Bai-bai, readers!**


	88. Love Story: Confession

**Haaiiiii~! So, to celebrate my reaching 1000 reviews (0-0 ermagersh four digits) I have decided to start an ongoing NaLu fanfic within 1095 days. It'll basically just be my version of how NaLu could happen. For every 1,000 reviews will come a new Love Story chapter!**

 **Mira: That sounds complicated.**

 **It does not!**

 **Gray: It kinda does...**

 **WHAT'S so complicated about it?!**

 **Erza: Weeellllll...**

 **Urgh, forget it. On with the story!**

 **(Gray: Did she just say "urgh"?)**

 **Day Eighty-Eight**

 **Love Story, Part One**

 **Confession**

Lucy sure was an amazing girl. That was something Natsu knew for sure.

He stared at her as she bounded cheerfully into the guild hall. Well, he didn't _mean_ to stare... he just couldn't help it! After all, she was so beautiful, so _happy,_ always smiling and cheering people up. She was kind. She tended to be pretty selfless. And besides her tendency to kick him when he was being stupid, there wasn't a thing about her he'd ever change.

Natsu rested his chin on his hand as he gazed at Lucy. Amazing. That was just the only word for her.

There had been a time when he'd wondered about Juvia's antics - and he still did! - but now he understood her a little better. Why would you find it fun to stalk someone all day and stare at them all the time? How could anyone possibly be _so_ interesting, _so_ amazing that you'd want to spend all of your time like that? (Especially when that ice freak, Gray, was the one in question!)

But Natsu knew the answer now.

Well, he didn't know the answer to what Juvia saw in Gray, but he _did_ understand how she felt now. He understood the feeling of someone being so wonderful, all you wanted to do was see them, enjoy them, and love them from afar.

Yeah.

That was it - _love._

Love was something Lucy fantasized about a lot, and from all that she'd said, Natsu knew he hadn't a chance of winning her affection, or even her attention, as anything more than a friend and job partner. He wasn't her "type." wasn't shy and quiet and intelligent, and he didn't like reading at all. He was nothing like her!

...but then again...

Then again, _she_ was nothing like _him,_ and he was head over heels for her anyway.

Did that mean you didn't have to be similar to somebody to love them? Did that mean he stood a chance with Lucy?

Natsu sure hoped so.

... ... ...

He started at her door.

What was he supposed to do now? Just open it?

Natsu had never actually used the door to Lucy's house. Strange as it was, he had simply found the window to be more convenient. So now, when he had something so important to say, and figured she'd respond better to a more civilized approach, Natsu had no clue what to do.

"What do I..." he grumbled, but his eyes lit up suddenly. "Oh, that's right!" he interrupted himself, grinning. "The knockity thing!"

So Natsu knocked on the door.

She opened it.

"Natsu?" Lucy said, blinking in surprise. "What - "

"Luce," Natsu said, fidgeting slightly. "Look, I-I got something really important to say..." Was he blushing? Crap, he was blushing, wasn't he?

"N-Natsu," Lucy began again, backing away a little, but he grabbed her wrists and pulled her toward him.

"Lucy, I know this probably sounds stupid, and I know I'm not your type, and I know you'll probably hate me for this, but listen, I _gotta_ tell you!"

"Natsu? Not my ty- _what?!"_

"Lucy, _I love you."_

"You - " Lucy stared at him. "Is this - a joke...?"

Natsu stepped back, apprehensive. Maybe he shouldn't have told her. Great, now she really was going to hate him.

But... a joke? Really? Was that all she thought of him?

"It's not a _joke,"_ he muttered. "Look, I'd better go."

"No!" she cried frantically. "Natsu, that's not what I - oh, you know what, to heck with this!"

And she grabbed him and kissed him right smack on the lips. When she let him go, she was scowling, and he was standing there dumbfounded.

"Uh," he said stupidly. "So... does that mean... you love me, too?"

She smacked him. "Why didn't you tell me before?! Jeez, Natsu! You made me think you didn't have any feelings for me AT ALL! Argh! You can't just keep a girl in the dark about this stuff!"

He blinked. "So... that's a yes, right?"

Lucy stared at him for a moment.

Then, to his shock, she laughed.

"Of course it is, idiot," she said, rolling her eyes, and pulled him in for another kiss.

... ... ...

 **Yay! There's your fluff and part one of my Love Story!**

 **Mira: SQUEEEEEEE~**

 **Thank you all so much for 1,000 reviews. It's a crazy huge number, and it really means the world to me! Baaaiiiii and see you tomorrow!**


	89. When the World Falls

**GUYS. I JUST REALIZED SOMETHING MIND-BLOWING.**

 **Erza: *munches cake* What is it?**

 **IT HAS BEEN ELEVEN DAYS SINCE I WROTE ANY ANGST AT ALL IN ANY FORM WHATSOEVER! Eleven whole days and** ** _NO ANGST!_**

 **Mira: Wow~! I didn't know you could survive that long without it!**

 **Gray: No kidding, I'm impressed.**

 **Lily: *eats a kiwi* Indeed.**

 **So... it's AAANNNNNGST TIIIIIME~~~!**

 **Day Eighty-Nine**

 **When the World Falls**

"Natsu-nii, wanna go on a job with me? Please?"

The dragonslayer in question turned to glance at Romeo. "Naw, sorry, bud. I'm waitin' on Lucy. She should be back soon, and she promised I could pick a job for the two of us!"

 _"Three,"_ Happy corrected sourly. "Why do I always get forgotten?"

Natsu rolled his eyes at that, but he was grinning. Romeo, however, was not smiling. He scowled and looked away. "You used to take me on jobs all the time, but now you never have any time for me..."

Natsu frowned. He supposed it did seem like that. He hadn't meant to ignore the boy, but sometimes things just happened, and other people wanted to do jobs with him - and besides, Lucy had been catching his eye more often than usual as of late.

"Tell you what," Natsu decided. "Go pick a job off the request board, keep it with ya, and as soon as I'm back with Luce, we'll do it together. Yeah?"

Romeo seemed to brighten at that. "Yeah! Totally! Thanks, Natsu-nii!"

Natsu grinned as Romeo took off for the job board. Man, did he love that kid.

But anyway, back to waiting for Lucy. Natsu frowned at this. She said she'd be back at one o'clock, what with it being a small job and all. It was one thirty. But he shook off the worried feeling that crept up his spine; knowing her, she'd probably just come across some old bookstore and got distracted.

 _Weirdo._

He smiled. Not that he'd have her any other way.

... ... ...

Though he had at first hesitated to worry, when it began to grow dark and Lucy still hadn't returned, the anxious pit in Natsu's stomach had grown into a huge cavern of anxiety. He checked the clock on the wall - six forty-five.

That was it. Natsu was going out to look for Lucy, _now._

"Luce," he called out as he walked through the streets, which were beginning to grow empty as it got dark. "Lucy!" Nighttime meant freezing cold during Magnolia's winters, and thus people always hurried home once the sun set at this time of year.

But Lucy hadn't.

"Lucy!" he called again. Realizing his voice sounded a bit weak, he yelled as loud as he possibly could, _"LUCY!"_

No answer.

Natsu was beginning to get scared. He needed to find her quickly. What if she'd been attacked? Hurt? If she was unconscious, she could freeze to death out here. That is, if she wasn't already d-

The pink-haired boy closed his eyes and breathed out steadily. "Lucy's fine," he mumbled. He was just being stupid and jumping to conclusions, as usual.

But then he heard it.

A thin gasping sound, as if someone were struggling for air and had been for awhile, and a little whimper. His ears twitched. He could just barely hear it with his special dragon hearing. The sound was too quiet for Natsu to distinguish whom it belonged to, but what if... _no._ No, it couldn't be.

"Luce?" he called into the night air. No response. "Lucy," he said a little louder. _"Lucy!"_

"Na..." Another shallow gasp. "-tsu?"

 _It was her._ It had to be. Natsu followed the sound, breaking into a run. "Lucy! I'm coming, just hold on!" Oh, Mavis, he could smell her. But he could also smell _blood._

 _"No,"_ he hissed. "Crap, Lucy, you better be okay."

An alleyway. He knew it was the right place. Natsu ducked into the dark, shadowy space, looked around, and his eyes landed on Lucy. _His_ Lucy. And when he processed what he was seeing, a shudder ran through his body, and he froze.

It was her, alright, with her blond hair and blue-and-white Heart Cruz clothing. Though he could hardly tell that her hair was blond anymore, with all the blood soaking it, and her clothing was nearly unrecognizable, seeing how it was torn and bloodied everywhere. Bruises and gashes mauled her once-flawless skin. She lay faceup on the street, her eyes half-shut, face contorted in pain.

 _She was hurt._

Mavis, she was _so badly hurt._

"Lucy," Natsu choked out. His fists clenched as his shock turned to rage. "Who - wh-who would _do_ this? _Who would dare_ _do this_ _to you?!"_

Finally finding the ability to move, he rushed to her side and dropped to his knees beside her, leaning his ear against her chest. _Thank Mavis_. She was still breathing; her heart still beating.

With a gentleness Natsu didn't know he had, he lifted Lucy into his arms. Her eyelits fluttered.

"N-Na... tsu," she said, her voice ragged. "You... came..."

He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Of course I came, Lucy..."

"I-I knew... you'd c-come," she whispered, eyelids fluttering again. "Thank you..." Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes. "I d-didn't want... to be alone when... I die." She shuddered and coughed. "My dad was... a-alone. I n-never wanted to... be alone..."

Natsu stiffened at the word _die._ Horror overtook him as the implications of her words settled in. "You're not going to die," he told her, trying to keep his voice even. It didn't work. Tears rolled down his cheeks and his muscles quivered as he began to break down. "Y-you're going to be fine, Lucy! D-don't talk like that!"

She smiled weakly, relaxing in his arms. "Thank you," she breathed again. "Thank... y-you, Nat... su." She took in one more long, ragged breath.

And then her head lolled forward, her eyelids fell shut, and she did not breathe again.

Natsu stared at her limp body in his arms. _No. Please, no. Not again._ He had lost Igneel, he had lost Lisanna... what was this, some cruel joke? How funny did the universe find it to take away everything that gave Natsu's life any meaning? _How could this even happen?!_ Hadn't he gone through _enough?!_

"Please," Natsu begged no one in particular, _"please._ Not Lucy. _Don't take Lucy..."_

But it was too late.

She was gone.

Natsu knew she was gone.

And now he understood once more what it felt like for the world to fall to pieces around him.

... ... ...

 **Heh. Hope you enjoyed... wait, no I don't! I hope you just cried your eyeballs out and hate me now. :3**

 **1,000+ words of angsty death, woo! Go me!**


	90. Why Gray Shouldn't Babysit the Dragneels

**Ninety days. As of today, I have spent ninety days on this fanfiction, posting a new one-shot every day. ... ... ...I guess that shows how much of a life I have...**

 **Mira: *giggles* WE'RE your life, silly!**

 **Gray: *rolls eyes* Besides, you miss some days and have to post later 'cause you're busy. That's proof you have a life.**

 **Not really, considering that a bunch of those missed postings are internet-problem-related...**

 **Lily: What are you going to write today?**

 **Ehhhhhh... just classic fluff, I guess. ^.^ Plus a bit of Nashi-and-Stella-ness. Actually, LOTS AND LOTS of Nashi-and-Stella-ness! :D**

 **Day Ninety**

 **Why Gray Shouldn't Babysit the Dragneel Kids**

It was NOT Gray's fault that he didn't know how to handle a walking, talking firestarter with mood swings. It was also NOT Gray's fault that he didn't know how to handle a second, slightly calmer firestarter with less severe mood swings and a gold key at her disposal. And finally, it was NOT Gray's fault that he had never had to put out a fire in his life before now! It had always been Lucy who cleaned up Natsu's messes on jobs before, anyway!

See, it all started like this: Lucy and Natsu left on a job, leaving Nashi and Stella in Gray's care. Juvia was out shopping with Blue's sister Ur, so that meant Gray was stuck handling the two most explosive children in the universe(discounting Mira and Laxus's daughter Marley, who used explosion magic. That didn't count.)

Right now, Gray was trying to make lunch, but the constant shrieking and laughter and crashes and occasionally whining definitely distracted him.

 **The first reason**

"BLUE, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"

"AND I'M GOING TO HELP HER!"

Blue ran, terrified, through the house as nine-year-old Nashi and her seven-year-old sister Stella chased him around the house. He had only cut off ONE MILLIMETER of her hair, he swore! Just one itsy-bitsy curl!

But they were going to kill him anyway, of course.

 **The second reason**

"Dad, Nashi's being dumb again!"

"I am not! _You're_ being dumb! The answer is obviously one hundred thirty percent!" Nashi argued.

"Nuh-uh, it's one hundred eighty percent!" Blue insisted.

"You're both wrong," Stella said calmly, holding up a calculator. "It's one hundred fifty-five percent."

"I was closer," Blue boasted.

"Were not," Nashi taunted. "We were exactly the same closeness!"

"What are you talking about?" Gray moaned, rubbing his forehead.

"The bounciness percentage of your bed," the three answered in unison.

...you know, Gray THOUGHT he had heard something breaking earlier...

 **The third reason**

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This literally continued for an hour and fourteen minutes. They did it in between punches, too, and Stella kept score. (Of course Nashi won.)

 **The fourth reason**

I'm gonna repeat what I said in those parentheses. NASHI. WON. Natsu's kid beat Gray's kid in a shouting/punching match! That's it, he was NEVER babysitting for Flame Brain again.

 **The fifth reason**

Gray was fairly certain he still heard their voices in the back of his mind arguing when the room was quiet. And that scared him.

 **The sixth reason**

"Ewwwww, gross! Don't touch it!" Stella squealed, backing away from the dead bug.

"I can touch it and I won't be grossed out," Blue boasted. "Your sister is such a stupid little wuss, Nashi."

So, yes. Blue was stupid enough to insult Stella in front of Nashi. Which led to enormous rips and bloodstains on some of his favorite clothes... oh, well. It wasn't like it was uncommon. Blue got into a heck of a lot of fights.

(Most of them with Nashi.)

 **The seventh reason**

"YOU BROUGHT YOUR CATS?!"

Charle and Happy's kittens, Jayjay and Topaz, had indeed found friends in Nashi and Stella. The two of them were now flying around the room with their respective dragonslayer in their arms.

They had more fun than Gray will ever admit to Juvia, lest her find out what actually happened to her favorite china plate set and kill him.

So that was it. Those were the reasons why Gray should never EVER be forced to babysit Nashi and Stella again - at least, some of the reasons.

... ... ...

"Ha," Natsu says, laughing at the list. "Are you kidding, Snowflake? This is why you SHOULD be forced to babysit them! I'll have to tell those two good job!"

Lucy just rolls her eyes.

... ... ...

 **There ya go, guys! This was lots of fun! It's also over 2000 words... hehe, well that might have something to do with the "am not/ are too" argument... XD See you tomorrow!**


	91. AU: Little Natsu and Lucy p3: A Haircut

**Weelllllcoooommmmmme, to Day 91!**

 **Mira: Hai! What are ya gonna write today, Kit?**

 **Hmm... hard to saaayyyy...**

 **Gray: I will NOT have a repeat of yesterday. I repeat. WILL. NOT.**

 **You will if I want you to! By the way, readers, your reactions to that (particularly the "am not/are too" bit) HAD ME ROLLING ON THE FLOOR LAUGHING! XD You guys are the BEST. Special shoutout to Flik98 for all of those amazing reviews. SOOOO MANY *gasp***

 **Erza: *munches cake* On that note... shall we start the story?**

 **Indeed! :3**

 **Day Ninety-One**

 **AU: Little Natsu and Lucy: A Haircut**

"Aw, c'mon, Luce, I promise I won't mess up - "

"No," Lucy replied stubbornly, crossing her arms. "You so _are_ gonna mess up." Natsu pouted but didn't protest, especially when Lucy added with a sly smile, "What about Gray's hair?"

Natsu returned her smile - though for him it looked more like a devious smirk - and ran off to find the ice mage in question.

Lucy sighed happily. Coming to Fairy Tail was probably the best thing that had ever happened to her. Living here, having friends, a real home - it was so wonderful. And being able to always have Natsu by her side was almost better.

Lucy walked aimlessly around the guild. She spotted Levy and smiled; as fellow bookworms, the two had clicked right away. "Hiiiii, Levy-chan!" she called, waving.

Levy looked up from her book and her eyes lit up. "Hiiiii, Lu-chan!"

Lucy was just about to rush over to her friend when Natsu dashed past, a terrified look on his face, with a furious Erza behind him.

"Natsu! You should know better than to cut Gray's hair!" she roared, pointing her sword at him. Lucy winced. "Were you born in a _barn?"_

"I was borned-ed in the middle of the woods," Natsu called back. He clambered up a big floor-to-ceiling wood pole and seated himself on one of the rafters. "Na-na, na-na, boo boo! Now ya can't catch meeeee, Erza!"

Erza continued to glare, and, after a moment's focus, she began to glow. It flickered a bit at first, but soon grew steady.

"She's glowing!" Lucy cried in shock. "Isn't that her special magicky requip?"

"Oh _no!"_ Levy gasped. "Natsu is going to _die_ now!"

"Ah, this is bad! We don't have a eu-low-gy and obi-bi-tuary prepared! Levy-chan, we need to start working very fast..."

"Yes, we very much do," Levy agreed solemnly.

"Hey! What about HELPING me?!" Natsu called in indignation... just as Erza, fully clad in a children's size medium Heaven's Wheel armor, charged at him.

...aaannnnd Natsu died.

(Well, okay, not really, but he came close.)

Lucy felt sorry for him at first, but then she saw the "haircut" Natsu had given Gray... and, well, he may have deserved his punishment.


	92. Breaking and Entering

**Hai. Not much time, but I'll see what I can scrawl down, ne?**

 **Gray: Last chapter wasn't much better than the one before, you know. =_= Do you know HOW to write a chapter that doesn't either kill off Natsu/Lucy or make fun of me?**

 **Hmm, not sure...**

 **Gray: *rolls eyes***

 **Mira: You need a good topic for today.**

 **Um, um, um... oh! I gots-es it!**

 **Erza: ..."gots-es...?"**

 **Day Ninety-Two**

 **Breaking and Entering**

Natsu had never really committed a crime by sneaking into Lucy's house. "Breaking and entering" meant you had to actually BREAK IN! Which he hadn't done! It wasn't his fault Lucy left her window unlocked and her fridge full all the time!

Except there came a day when she DID lock her window, and things got serious.

"Right, so now we have to break in..." Natsu mumbled, tapping the glass. "This shouldn't be hard. Fire Dragon's Iron Fi- _OW!"_ His hand was blown back by the glass, practically breaking his wrist. Natsu checked the little teensy weensy label in the corner. "MAGIC RESISTANT?! No fair, Luce!"

"Looks like we really do have to get serious," Happy sighed.

... ... ...

"TARZAAAAAAANNNNN- _AUGH!_ oof oof oof oof oof oof oof oof oof oof oof oof" *SPLASH*

Unfortunately, it quickly became clear that brute force was not about to break Lucy's magically strengthened window glass. When Natsu attached a vine and pretended to be Tarzan, planning to smash-kick the glass and bust in ninja style(or so he called it), this became especially clear.

He was repelled and tossed onto the pavement, where he bounced painfully several times and landed in the river. This was definitely not going as planned...

... ... ...

"Take two! Ready, Happy?"

"Aye, sir!"

"Rope tied?"

"Aye, sir!"

"Okay. Then... TARZAAAAAANNNNNNNN- AUGH! oof oof oof oof oof oof oof" *SPLASH*

Smashing through the door didn't work either.

... ... ...

"Aha! The chimney! Okay, take three!"

Natsu stared down into the dark chimney. "Well, here goes nothing."

Natsu tried. He really, REALLY tried. He made himself as skinny as possible... but he still got stuck, of course.

"It's dark in here..."

"Happy!"

"Happy?! HAPPPYYYYYYYY-"

"HEEEELLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP-"

... ... ...

And that was how Lucy found him when she got home. Needless to say, she wasn't to happy to find Natsu stuck in her chimney. He had made a nice fire for her while she was gone, though, so that kind of made up for it, and at least her new window had worked against him.

Well, kind of.

It hadn't stopped him from getting stuck in her chimney.

... ... ...

 **So, you likey? A bit of crack XD Because if Lucy ever locked her window, this is what would happen.**

 **Mira: Oh, Natsu.**

 **Gray: He's a real idiot, isn't he?**


	93. No Moneys

***looks at review page and winces* I'M SORRY! I didn't mean for these to be late. Life just... happened...**

 **Mira: A guest named Red gave you detention for being late.**

 **Gray: *sarcasm* Oh, ha ha. I'm laughing. That's so funny.**

 ***not sarcasm* AHAHAHAAHAHA THAT'S FUNNY, BEST JOKE EVER, AHAHAHAHAHA- but anyway, I'm sorryyyyyyyyyyy! I didn't mean to be laaaaaaate...**

 **Erza: Just write, Kit. It will calm you down.**

 **Day Ninety-Three**

 **No Moneys**

Natsu was very sad, because he was broke.

Not that it didn't happen often. Natsu was broke a lot. But this time he was sad because he also had no food.

Solution?

Raid Lucy's fridge!

Except that didn't work, because Lucy's fridge was also empty, just as empty as his, and Lucy was also broke. So Natsu was even more sad.

"LUCY!" he whined. "I have no moneys!"

She raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Moneys? Really, Natsu?"

"No moneys," he sighed. "I'm broke. And no food, either! I'm hunnnnngryyyyyy..."

But Lucy only giggled. "No moneys?"

"Yes," he repeated impatiently. "No moneys! Lucy, please go on a job with meeeeee... I need moneys really, really bad!"

"No moneys," Lucy chortled. "No moneys - Levy, listen to Natsu!"

"What? All I said was I have no moneys! Jeez, weirdo!"

But now Levy was laughing, too. She and Lucy were in hysterics for almost no reason. Natsu huffed. Girls were such weirdos. Maybe he was better off asking Gajeel or Gray or...

"Hey, Gildarts," Natsu mumbled, sitting beside him at the bar. "I have no moneys..."

Gildarts took one look at Natsu, processed what he had said, and burst out into hysterical laughter.

To this day, Natsu has no idea what any of them were laughing about... the little dork.


	94. The Dream-Catcher

**Haiiiiii... just had an idea for a Pokémon fic and I'm gonna go write it. Soon. Maybe. Anyway, I have a one-shot to write...**

 **Mira: So wriiiiiiite it!**

 **Gray: *scrolls through reviews* Hey, Wendy's been requested for the Grand Hall of Narration.**

 **Erza: It's already quite crowded in here...**

 **Lily: *shrugs* I think we could handle another.**

 **We'll see! ;3**

 **Day Ninety-Four**

 **The Dream-Catcher**

Lucy woke up damp with sweat.

She'd had another nightmare about her mother. She had been having those so often lately - why was that? It had been years since... well, since it happened. And it had been years since she'd had any sort of reoccurring nightmare.

And yet here she was, breathing heavily, shaking and trying hard to keep from sobbing. Natsu was asleep beside her. She didn't want to wake him - even though she sometimes detested his invasions of her bed, there were more times when his heat and cuddles were gladly welcomed.

Lucy leaned down and wrapped her arms around his sleeping form, though she frowned when he wrapped his arm around her in return. He had woken up...

"Sorry," she mumbled. "For waking you up."

He gently ran a hand through her hair. "Naw, Luce, it's fine."

They were silent for another moment. Then,

"The nightmare again?"

Lucy felt the tears coming as she nodded. She tried to bite them back; she didn't want to cry in front of Natsu. He hated it when she cried.

Lucy rolled over back into a sleeping position. The comfort of Natsu beside her would certainly help her sleep.

"Thanks for being here," she whispered, so quiet that even his dragon hearing could hardly pick it up.

In response, he reached over to give her hand a gentle squeeze. Lucy sighed contentedly, letting her eyes roam across the room. They came to a halt at her window. A dream-catcher hung there, its orange and white beads clinking against one another every time a breeze blew in. A small smile crept onto Lucy's face.

Natsu had bought her that dream-catcher.

Lucy closed her eyes and reminisced.

... ... ...

"Here," he had said impatiently, shoving the hastily-wrapped box at her. "Open it!"

"Alright, alright," she'd laughed. She normally would have been irritated at his impatience, but there was a warm glow in her stomach that outshone all of her would-be negativity. A gift from Natsu was a special thing indeed - he wasn't the type to think about things like that.

He was also the only one who had remembered her birthday, and the fact that he _had_ made her feel so loved, so special, so _wanted._

She could hardly remember a time she had felt this special before.

The feeling was so wonderful, it didn't even matter what was in the box. Lucy would have loved it all the same. But what was in the box turned out to be _so_ thoughtful and beautiful, Lucy found herself loving it - and Natsu - even more than she had thought possible.

It was dream-catcher.

"You mentioned once that you had one as a kid," Natsu had said cheerfully. "It was a gift from your mom, right?" She nodded, and he continued, "I know it probably isn't the same, but... I figured you'd like it, y'know?"

His childish, toothy grin was the icing on the cake. Lucy was so touched, she realized tears were coming to her eyes.

"Just hang it in your window," Natsu said happily. "It'll catch all the good dreams and keep 'em safe, but the bad dreams can float away and be forgotten."

Lucy launched forward to hug him.

"Thank you," she whispered. " _Thank you._ You have _no idea_ how much this means to me."

Natsu smiled and hugged her back.

... ... ...

"Float away," Lucy murmured now, under her breath.

"Be forgotten," Natsu agreed, giving her hand another squeeze.

Lucy smiled. She leaned closer to him, snuggling into his warmth, and let herself drift off to sleep.

And she never did have that nightmare again.

... ... ...

 **Aw, yay! Angst and fluff! I LOVE WRITING FLAAANNNNGST! :D**

 **Mira: That was so flangsty, I THINK I ALMOST DIED.**

 **Gray: *rolls eyes***

 **See you tomorrow, guys! Baaiiiiiiii! :3**


	95. Battle of Hope

**Blech. I'm bored. I shall now write awful, horrible angst. This is also an AU. With cancer in it. Beware...**

 **Day Ninety-Five**

 **Battle of Hope**

 _Natsu held Lisanna's hand tightly. Her eyes were closed, her skin pale._

 _The doctors said they'd do everything they could._

 _But Natsu knew it wouldn't be enough._

 _He told himself not to think like that; he had to believe she would be okay, and he did. The hope he'd always had for her remained forever strong, even in this coma she'd ended up in. Even through all the rounds of chemo, all the treatments, all the days she looked too tired even to hold up her head, he'd held onto a steady hope that she would be okay. After all, cancer did go away sometimes, didn't it? It vanished and just never came back?_

 _Right. That was what would happen. Lisanna's cancer would go away, and she would be fine, smiling brightly again like she always had._

 _And yet..._

 _And yet this tiny voice somewhere inside his head told him that all his hopes were futile. A voice he had almost begun to believe._

 _In the end, that voice was right._

... ... ...

Natsu looked away.

He had never told anyone about that. Never. All of his old friends knew about Lisanna's death, of course. They had gone through it with her, too. But Lucy never knew. And no one at all knew about the turmoil in Natsu's own mind.

Lucy reached out and caressed his face gently. "It's okay," she murmured. "It's okay to be sad. Conflicted. Angry."

Natsu nodded. He was glad she'd said that. It was better than the stupid "I'm sorry" he got from everyone else.

"My mom... well, it was the same for me when she..."

Natsu nodded again, squeezing her hand. "Yeah," he said, his voice ragged. "I get it."

A pause.

"How long ago did she...?" He left his question open-ended.

"Nine years," she answered quietly. "And Lisanna...?"

Hearing her name still hurt sharply in his chest. "T-two years," he mumbled. "Does it... does it ever get better?"

"It always hurts, if that's what you mean," Lucy answered, her voice watery. Natsu reached out and gave her a hug.

"It's gonna be okay," Natsu promised, stupid and childish as it sounded. "That's a promise." He grinned at her, and she smiled weakly back.

He knew she had cancer too.

He knew she could die just like Lisanna had, flatlining in the hospital at nine thirty-one PM.

But he also knew that, whatever happened, he'd have the same hope for her as he did for Lisanna. Whatever came their way.

Because hope could fight the battles that fists could not: the battles that took place within your very own body. And hope, Natsu knew for sure, could win those battles.

... ... ...

 **Yup, there ya go, beautiful angst and open-ended-ness. ...hey, where did my narrating crew go...?**

 **...guys?**

 **...GUYS?!...**


	96. Monster

**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH *runs around frantically* THEY'RE GOOONNNNNNNE! THEY'RE GOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNE!**

 **Cute little voice: Um... miss... a-are you alright?**

 **Grown-up little voice: *annoyed* You need to calm down.**

 ***whips around* Wha...? *fangirly screams* WENDYYYYYYYYY~! CHARLEEEEEE~! You're heeeeeeeeere!1 :D**

 **Charle: *raises eyebrow* So we are. Why were we brought here again?**

 ***cheerfully* Oh, to fill in for the - *eyes widen, starts screaming again* NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! They're GOOOOOOOOOONNNNEEEE!**

 **Day Ninety-Six**

 **Monster**

He sees her face in front of him, flickering in and out of focus. Clear one moment, blurry the next. His pupils dilate, then shrink, again and again. "Lucy," he wheezes. "G-Go..."

She shakes her head, tears forming in her eyes. "I won't leave you, Natsu," she breathes, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his lips. He returns it for one blissful moment, but draws quickly away.

"You hafta..." For a hundredth of a second, the warmth in his eyes vanishes, and his voice turns to a growl, but it changes back just as soon as it's happened. "...go, Luce. You can't stay. I'll... _he'll_ kill you. END..."

She shakes her head again. "I believe in you. You have to _fight it._ Just because there's a demon inside of you doesn't mean that's _who you are."_

Natsu nods, seeming to believe her... and that's when he loses control.

He lets loose an almighty roar. Dark streaks form in his hair, and it comes to match the color of his brother's: stark black. His eyes turn red, his pupils turn to slits. Scales form across his body as he reaches out one hand and grabs Lucy by the neck.

 _"You shall die,"_ it hisses, gripping tighter. _"And I shall leave your body for your family to see..."_

"NO!" Natsu screams, but END regains control again. _"Yes,"_ it growls. _"Yes..."_

But Lucy isn't having it.

"You're... you're not just END! You're not just some creature from a book that Zeref made!" Her voice rises with each word. Flames leap out from END's body, encasing the both of them and burning Lucy alive. Still, she yells over the flames. "You're _Natsu!_ Y-you're my best friend! You're funny, you love food, you fight with everyone, you're silly, you're weird sometimes, you do everything you know you can't do!" Tears stream down her cheeks. "You take S-class missions wh-when you know you shouldn't! You drag me along on everything! You screw up a lot, you lose sometimes, but you win, too! You _fix_ things! You love your nakama - you love _me!"_ Her voice has become a scream, and she doesn't even try to stop the tears.

In END's eyes, something flickers. Lucy goes limp in its grip, her body burned nearly black, scaly hands cutting off whatever oxygen there was in the fire.

"And I love you," she whispers, voice ragged, eyelids fluttering.

And that, it seems, is finally enough.

Red eyes widen and flicker back to their original color. The flames vanish, Natsu's hair turns pink once more, and he lets go of Lucy's neck.

He's back.

She collapses, but he gathers her in his arms before her body hits the ground. The look on his face is unreadable, his eyes downcast, and tears begin to leak from his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Lucy..." he chokes out, voice crumbling.

One burned, weak hand grips his tattered vest tightly. "It was never your fault," she murmurs. His arms tighten around her, holding her close and safe. He kisses her hair.

"Y-you were right," he whispers. "I do - I do love you."

She lifts her head to give him a weak, yet still bright smile.

"I love you too, Natsu."

And even despite all that's already happened, those words somehow set the world right again. And both Natsu and Lucy can feel it.

... ... ...

 **Wendy: U-um... wh-who's gone?**

 **Gray... Mira... Erza... and Lily.**

 **Wendy: Oh no! What happened to them?!**

 **Charle: They disappeared?**

 **Pretty much... *sigh* Anyway, readers, I hope you*shirt* liked my END scene, and - wait, was that a shirt?!**

 **Gray: *grabs shirt* Sorry 'bout that.**

 **Mira: *grins* We're baaack~!**

 **Erza: It seems Lily and I must leave. Charle, you too...**

 **Charle: ?**

 **Erza: Right, then. *grabs one Exceed under each arm* Bye!**

 **...aaaannnnd that leaves me, Wendy, Gray, and Mira... wait... YAAAAAAAY! YOU'RE BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACKK~~!**

 **So, hi readers. Did you like my END scene? Angsty, but a happy ending! (Sort of.) I'd really love for you to drop a review, even if it's just for this chapter, because the END scene is one that I've never tried anything like before. Was it okay? What could I have done better? I might rewrite it in the future, so your input matters! Thank yooouuuuu~~!**

 **((INSPIRATION FOR THIS CHAPTER: "Monster" by Skillet. VERY good song... fits END Natsu perfectly.))**


	97. Passing Notes

**Rawr.**

 **Wendy: Rawr?**

 **Rawr.**

 **Mira: Okay, then~! Rawr!**

 **Gray: Um... rawr.**

 **Wendy: Raawwwwrrr!**

 **Rawr. This is an AU in which Natsu and Lucy are in seventh grade and pass notes in class. Enjooyyy!**

 **Day Ninety-Seven**

 **Passing Notes**

 _Hi._

Lucy stared at the note, brow furrowing in irritation. She glared across the room at Natsu, who cast her a cheeky grin. Glancing quickly at their history teacher to be sure he wasn't looking, and then at Evergreen because she was a snitch who tattled on everyone, Lucy scrawled something down on the paper and passed it to Levy, who passed it to Gray, who passed it to Gajeel, who passed it to Natsu.

 _Really?! You passed that thing across the room just to say "hi"?!_

She watched him carefully as he proceeded to write an extremely long message, probably only to spite her for her comment.

 _Pretty much,_ the note read. _I'm bored. Hey, can I call you Luce? It has a nice ring to it. I'm still bored. You're really cute, you know that? Hey, what's your favorite color? I'm STILL bored. History is the worst class ever. What's your favorite class? Mine is gym. Either that or lunch. Is school over yet? Ugh, I want it to be over. Hey, is this long enough yet? I think it's long enough. What's your last name?_

Lucy rolled her eyes before passing back her answer. Levy winked at her in that way that best friends always do, in that "like-like" kind of way. The blond groaned, thunking her head on the table.

 _I don't care if you're bored. No, you can't call me Luce. I still don't care if you're bored. Cute? What are you talking about, I'm GORGEOUS. My favorite color is blue. I STILL don't care if you're bored. I find history rather fun. My favorite class is English. Gym and lunch are not classes. School is not over yet. This note is TOO long and far too annoying. My last name is - why do you CARE? You barely know me!_

It was true, they had never really spoken before this. The only thing they had in common was the same group of friends, and Lucy had just moved to the area, so she hadn't gotten to know any of them really well, _yet._

Natsu's reply soon came back to her.

 _Of course you're gorgeous, Lucy Why Do You Care._

Lucy stared at the note.

 _Um... thattttt's... really nice of you... and "Why Do You Care" is not actually my last name... ... ..._

She was blushing madly.

 _It's true! :) And what is your last name?_

If possible, she was blushing even more now. She passed back her reply, but before Natsu could read it, Evergreen looked over. Her eyes narrowed and her hand shot up in the air.

"Mr. Sarra, Natsu is passing notes in class," she said in that know-it-all voice of hers.

"That's right, be a MAN and tell the truth, Ever!" Elfman yelled from the back of the room. Evergreen rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath, but Lucy saw her blushing.

Mr. Eric Sarra, their history teacher, just sighed and confiscated the note, dropping it in the trash bin. Immediately, Natsu's eyes swiveled to the bin, clearly formulating a plan to get it out, but just then the janitor walked in and emptied it.

Natsu never did get to read that note.

... ... ...

 **Hee hee! This one was fun. *yawn* I'm a little sleepy, but also feeling very happy today. It's just one of those happy days!**

 **Wendy: Yay! *smiles adorably***

 **Mira: Awww~**

 **Gray: ...*cough* Anyway, see ya tomorrow, readers?**

 **Baaiiiii! *waves***


	98. Yawn

**Yawn.**

 **Wendy: Yaawwwnnn...**

 **Mira: Whatcha writing today, Kit?**

 **Yawn.**

 **Gray: ...?**

 **Day Ninety-Eight**

 **Yawn**

"Yawn," Natsu groaned, thunking his head on the table.

"Um..." Lucy responded. Guess it's not much of a response, but whatever.

"Yaawwnn," Natsu groaned again, thunking his head on the table multiple times. "Yawn" - thunk - "yawn" - thunk - "yawn" - thunk - "YAWN!"

"Natsu, you do know that's not actually _yawning_ \- "

"Yawn," Natsu said again. "You're boring, Lucy. Yaawwnn."

Lucy's eyes narrowed. "Boring?! Natsu, I was just saying that's not how you actually yawn!"

"Okay, then how about this?" Natsu guessed. "*yawns*"

"Ummm..."

"Yawn," Levy said now, walking over. "I'm sleepy."

"Me, too," Mira agreed. "Yawn."

"Yawn," Gray mumbled as he scrutinized the request board. "There aren't any good requests."

"I agree," Nab added. (But that's no surprise. It's not like Nab's taken a single job in the past ten years... well, at least ten years, probably more...)

"Yawn," Nab added, to go with the trend.

"Yawn," said Gajeel.

"Yawn," said Wendy.

"Yawn," said Gildarts and Warren and Max and Erza and Makarov and Mavis and Romeo and Macao and -

"When did _Mavis_ get here?!" Lucy cried, incredulous.

\- and Juvia and Jet and Droy and Bickslow and Lisanna and Evergreen and Elfman and Laxus and Freed and Cana and Zeref and -

"Zeref?" Lucy cried. "Okay. Okay, I'm done."

And that is the story of Fairy Tail and yawning.

"Man," Natsu **yawned**. "All that yawning sure made me tired.

Lucy stared for a second at Natsu.

 _Now he ACTUALLY yawned... and he...?!_

Lucy fell over, anime style.

... ... ...

 **Gray: Well then.**

 **Mira: Oooooookay.**

 **Wendy: Umm... d-does she write this kind of thing often...?**

 **Gray: Yuuuuup.**

 **Wendy: It was funny! ^.^ But also kinda... weird...**

 **Mira: She also writes angst. Beware, you might see the death of Lucy/Natsu/Nashi/all of FT soon.**

 **Wendy: ... 0-0**


	99. Skyfall

**ERMAGERSH TOMORROW IS DAY 100~**

 **ERMAGERSH ERMAGERSH ERMAGERSH ERMAGERSH**

 **ERMAGEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH**

 **ERMAGERSH MERAGERSH ERMAGERSH ERMAGERSH ERMAGERSH ERMAGERSH ERMAGERSH ERMAGERSH ERMAGERSH ERMAGERSH ERMAGERSH ERMAGERSH ERMAGERSH~**

 **Gray: Aaaannnnd cue the chapter.**

 **Day Ninety-Nine**

 **Skyfall**

The attacks just kept coming.

None of them could fight any longer. None of them could beat this many. Not Natsu, not Erza, not Mirajane, not even Makarov. Against this many overpowered enemies, they knew from the beginning that they couldn't win.

And yet they fought anyway.

Lucy held up Virgo's key. The maiden was the only spirit still out and fighting, but Lucy couldn't let her get hurt any longer. "G-Gate of the Maiden, f-forced closure!"

Virgo turned, eyes wide. "No! Princess, you mustn't - " And she vanished in a flash of gold.

"I'm sorry... I couldn't see you hurt," Lucy whispered to the key. She knew Loke was able to come out on his own power, but the lion had already exhausted himself near the point of death and was no longer able to move, much less use magic.

"Lucy," she heard Natsu yell. "Look out!"

She turned, eyes wide, and moved just in time to avoid the sharp beam of light from one of their attackers. White flakes of snow fell through the frozen air as she dodged attack after attack, lashing out with her whip, but she couldn't keep it up forever.

She looked over to see Natsu fighting beside her and knew, right away, what she needed to do.

Leaning towards him, Lucy planted one firm kiss on his lips, smiling sadly. "I'm sorry, Natsu," she said sadly. "Looks like this is it, huh?"

Natsu's eyes widened. "Lucy, what - "

And then she darted forward.

She leaped forward onto one of the attackers, kicking and punching him as a way of providing a distraction for Natsu. "NO!" Natsu yelled, flames bursting from his body and melting the snow around him. The attackers - trained killer mages from a far-off country across the sea - turned their attention away from Natsu for just a fraction of a second, but that was enough. In their moment of weakness, Natsu charged.

He was barely even thinking, barely even feeling. His fiery fists slammed into opponent after opponent, knocking them aside, trying to reach his best friend, the girl he was in love with. _**"LUCY!"**_

There was no response. Her cries of pain had ceased, and all Natsu could hear anyway was the blood rushing in his ears. He finally saw her, curled up in the snow, a bloody and motionless figure.

"No," he breathed in horror, flames suddenly vanishing, as he dropped to his knees beside her. "N-no..."

But it was too late; she was long gone already.

"L-Lucy," Natsu whispered, gritting his teeth and trying to hold back the tears. It didn't work. They spilled over, trickling faster and faster down his cheeks. _"No._ Oh, Mavis, _no."_

And suddenly it wasn't even worth it to keep fighting anymore.

His senses seemed to dull with the realization of Lucy being gone. It felt like the sky had fallen down upon him; like the world was simply gone and everything in it had frozen. He couldn't move or think or feel anything. He couldn't hear; he could only see the horrible sight before him.

So when the attack came sailing through the air and ripped through his body, at least he was spared the pain.

He fell, limp, into the snow beside Lucy. His consciousness was fading, and he knew that when he blacked out, he would not wake up. But at least he and Lucy had faced it all together.

His trembling, near-frozen hand sought her pale, motionless one. He grasped it, and though it could have been his imagination, he swore he felt her squeeze back.

That was his final thought.

... ... ...

When Happy woke up, he knew there was something wrong.

All he could remember was being knocked aside and slamming into the walls of the guild hall, feeling his bones cracking, and spots of pain dancing before his eyes. He must have blacked out after that. But he didn't expect to wake up to complete silence.

The attackers had long moved on, finding another Fiorian village to terrorize and destroy. Snow coated the rubble of Magnolia, giving it a peaceful, almost serene look. But it shouldn't have been peaceful and serene. Fairy Tail should have been cheering, celebrating their victory, or at least trying to regroup, calling the names of their comrades. Fairy Tail was never truly silent.

 _Unless..._

Happy tried, he really tried, to shove that thought from his mind. But he couldn't. There could only be one reason for Fairy Tail to truly be dead silent, and that was if they were all...

"Nonono," Happy whispered, shaking his furry blue head. "No... not Natsu, th-there's no way, not Erza, n-not Lushy, not Charle..." He blinked, tears trickling down his face. "Nono _no..."_

He saw Gray first.

Lying facedown in the snow, clothes torn and stained with a red liquid Happy didn't want to identify. Desperately, the little blue cat tumbled forward, feeling for a pulse, but there was none. Dread settled in the pit of his stomach.

 _They can't all be..._

 _ **No!** _

Happy spread his wings, struggling to stay in the air. He saw them all one by one, tried to rouse them, checked to see that they were alive. Erza, red hair fanned out and contrasting starkly against the snow. Heaven's Wheel armor broken and torn. Mirajane, eyes glassy, holding a motionless Lisanna, with Elfman not far off.

He saw Wendy, and averted his eyes. She was so little, such a young girl, barely even started her life.

And then Happy found Natsu and Lucy.

They were holding hands, eyes closed, curled up facing one another. Happy's eyes would not look at the enormous gash in Natsu's torso or any of the enormous wounds in Lucy's body. He shook them both, called their names, checked their pulses in a vain attempt to find life in his two best friends, and the closest person to a parent he'd ever had.

The dam broke. The tears spilled over, freezing onto his fur, as he shivered and knelt by the limp forms of Natsu and Lucy.

"N-Nat...su..." the Exceed sobbed hopelessly. "L-Lushy... W-wake _up!"_

He cried and shuddered and sobbed for what felt like hours but could have only been a minute. Time seemed to have frozen in place, like the tears on his face and the snow on the ground. Then a soft white paw rested on his shoulder, and Charle dropped to her knees beside him.

"Happy," she murmured, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"Ch-charle," he whispered. "They - they're all - "

"I know," she said bitterly. "I know, Happy."

Somehow, she gave him the strength to stand, so he did. He returned her embrace, and they stood there for a long time, just holding each other, grateful for the small blessing of each other.

Perhaps the sky had fallen around them, but at least they still had each other. At least they could face it all together.

... ... ...

 **Dis was inspired by the song "Skyfall" by Adele. :)**

 **Wendy: ... ;-;**

 **Mira: ...HOW COULD YOOOOUUU?!**

 **Gray: *glares***

 **Tee hee hee! Sorry not sorry! ^w^**


	100. Love at First Sight

**It.**

 **Is.**

 **Day.**

 **ONE-FREAKING-HUNDREEEEEDDDDDDD~!**

 **Mira: *throws confetti and cheers* Hooray!**

 **Gray: :) Gotta say, it's an accomplishment.**

 **Wendy: Yaaayyyy~!**

 **TO CELEBRATE... I will now write the ultimate fluff.**

 **Day One Hundred**

 **(WOW! Just - WOOOWWWW~! :D)**

 **Love at First Sight**

Being a writer, Lucy naturally had plenty of fantasies about love. There was some guy out there who was perfect for her, she knew it, and he was just waiting to find her and sweep her off her feet. They'd date for a few years, he'd propose to her in the most romantic way possible, and they'd live happily for years and years with sweet, adorable children.

At least, she hoped.

But one of the fantasies Lucy dreamed of most was the idea of "love at first sight." When she saw her dream guy, something inside would _click,_ and the rest would be history. And after one of the most recent books she'd read, the idea now seemed even more possible and even more amazing.

Lucy walked - no, _floated_ into the guild that morning, humming a cheerful little song to herself (a love song, of course) certain that nothing could ruin her beautiful mood. She sat herself down at the table across from Natsu, smiling brightly.

"Hey, Luce," he greeted, flashing a toothy grin.

"Hi!" she said happily. She cocked her head as a thought came to her. "Hey, Natsu... do you believe in... y'know, love at first sight?"

... ... ...

"Do you believe in... y'know, love at first sight?"

Natsu frowned, putting his chin in his hand. Love at first sight...? Like, you loved somebody the moment you saw them? That didn't make any sense...

"No," he said with a shrug.

She blinked, surprised. "No? You don't? Well, why not?"

Natsu shrugged again. "It doesn't make sense, Lucy! 'Love at first sight' just means you like someone 'cause of their looks and stuff. That's shallow! I think _real_ love is when you fall in love with someone 'cause of their personality and 'cause of what kind of person they are, on the inside, you know?"

Lucy stared at him for a moment, and he realized she _probably_ hadn't been expecting that answer. But before he could apologize or... or run away or something, she suddenly smiled, leaned forward and hugged him.

"You know what?" Lucy laughed. "I don't think you've ever been more right!"

And even though he was a little confused, Natsu just grinned. He'd only spoken from experience. After all, it took time for him to fall in love with Lucy - it took seeing who she was and how wonderful of a person she could be.

He wouldn't tell her that just yet, though. She might freak if she found out _he_ was in love with _her..._

... ... ...

 **And there you are! It was a request from Courtney The Fangirl. Hope ya enjoyed, Courtney! :3**

 **Mira: Aw, so sweet and fluffyyyyyyy~!**

 **Wendy: Much, MUCH better than yesterday's! :D ...n-not that yesterday's was bad or anything, it was very nice. ^.^**

 **Aw, Wendy, you're so sweet and kind and wonderful and adorable and my favorite character eveeerrrrr~!**

 **Gray: *gags on fluff***

 **Mira: *slaps* GRAY! FLUFF IS WONDERFUL AND NOT TO BE GAGGED ON! I DEMAND YOU SPIT IT OUT RIGHT NOW!**

 **...hope you likey, readers! See ya tomorrow for a Halloween special!**


	101. Happy Halloween!

**Happy Halloween! *throws candy at the whole world* Happy Halloweeeeennnn~!**

 **Gray: *gets hit in the face with a badly-aimed candy* OW! Watch where you're throwing it!**

 **Sorry, that one was aimed at Mira, guess I missed.**

 **Mira: *is on left side of Kit* ...**

 **Gray: *is on right side of Kit* ...**

 **Wendy: ...you threw backwards?**

 **Day One Hundred One**

 **Happy Halloween!**

"What are _you_ going to be for Halloween?" Lucy asked excitedly as she slowly sipped her strawberry milkshake.

"Hermione, of course!" Levy exclaimed. She paused for a moment, thoughtful. "Or Annabeth... I could be her, too..."

"Her-my-oh-nee?" Natsu asked, frowning. "What's Her-my-oh-nee?"

Lucy rolled her eyes. "A character from _Harry Potter_."

Natsu frowned. "Oh, I read that book once. Wasn't there some girl named Her-mee-own?"

Levy and Lucy thunked their heads on the bar counter.

"Well, anyway," Lucy sighed, rubbing her forehead. "What are you going to be, Natsu?"

"I'm gonna be a Charizard!" Natsu yelled, blowing fire into the air. "And I am so gonna rock it."

"I'm going to be Iron Man," Gajeel spoke up. He grinned, turning his whole body to iron. "See? Costume done." Lucy rolled her eyes as the iron morphed back into his skin. Levy, however, seemed impressed.

"That's clever," she said happily, scooting her chair a little closer to his. "Hey... are you reading something?"

"...no."

"Yes you are! Hey, that's the book I recommended to you last week! Ooh, do you like it?"

"...yes."

Lucy smirked slightly. Levy and Gajeel were just so adorable... "Natsu, can I see your costume?"

"Aw, no way," Natsu scoffed. "It's a surprise for tomorrow!" He slung an arm around her shoulder. "Who're you goin' as?"

"Well," she said hesitantly, "I was thinking... I mean, maybe I could go as Annabeth from the Percy Jackson series, because I have her blond hair and all... but Levy said she might go as her. Any ideas?"

"You could be Squirtle," Natsu said solemnly. "Or Pikachu or Jigglypuff or Bulbasaur or Onix or Geodude or Staryu or Togepi or Mew or Dugtrio or Beedrill or Butterfree or Pidgey or - "

He then proceeded to list all 151 first gen Pokemon. Every single one. Except Charizard.

Lucy stared at him, eyes glassy. She reached up to rub them, then blinked innocently up at Natsu. "What? Sorry, I tuned you out at around #30."

Natsu huffed. "Well, if you don't wanna be a Pokemon... I dunno."

"I could be a trainer," Lucy said thoughtfully.

"How 'bout May? She's cool. And bandannas are cool, too."

"Maybe..."

"You could be a ghost!"

"...um, no."

... ... ...

The next day at 6 o'clock, Lucy was finally ready to go trick-or-treating. Yes, it was mainly meant for little kids, and she was 19 years old, but everyone in Fairy Tail always went trick-or-treating and Magnolia didn't seem to mind. You could never be too old for free candy, after all! Right?

Lucy had finally decided on a pretty simple costume: a witch. But it was a cute witch costume! She had a purple and black hat with tiny cobwebs on it, a short black dress with purple frills and more tiny cobwebs, and black high-heeled boots. In her hand she held a small broomstick with a black-and-purple striped handle. All in all, she didn't think it was such a bad costume.

"Levy-chan," Lucy called in surprise as she opened the door. Her friend was standing there on the steps, dressed up as Hermione.

Levy wore black dress robes with the Gryffindor insignia. She was carrying a copy of _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_ in one hand and a wand in the other. "Hiii, Lu-chan~!"

"Hey, that's funny," Lucy said, beginning to laugh. "You're a Hogwarts witch, and I'm a Halloween witch!"

Levy giggled. "True. You look really nice, you know."

Lucy blushed. "Thanks - so do you."

"Should we go to the guild?"

"Definitely!"

... ... ...

When they arrived at the guild, there were an enormous variety of costumes to admire. Gray was dressed as a pirate, Juvia as Snow White, Erza as Leonardo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (she totally rocked that katana), Wendy as an angel, Happy as Pikachu, Charle as a princess, Mirajane and Lisanna as Wonder Woman and Supergirl, cute little Asuka as a bride, and Laxus as...

 _...a banana...?_

"A bet," he grumbled in response to the strange stares. "I lost a friggin' bet."

And then there was Natsu the Charizard.

He'd fashioned huge orange wings with blue membrane, scaly orange cuffs, and a suit of similar orange scales. He wore clawed shoes, and the flame at the end of his tail looked almost real...

Wait a second, _it WAS real!_

"Natsu!" Lucy gaped. "Your costume is amazing!" ...but he was going to burn down the guild. "But you'll burn down the guild with that tail!"

Natsu scoffed. "Not like I haven't done that before." (She sweatdropped at that.) He looked Lucy up and down and grinned. "Man, Luce, you look great!"

She blushed. "Th-thanks, Natsu..."

He flashed her a thumbs-up. "Let's get trick-or-treatin', then!"

She nodded, smiling. "Bet you I'll get more candy..."

"Psshh, yeah right!"

He grabbed her hand, and together, laughing, they ran off into the night.

... ... ...

 **Aaaaannnnnnnnd there you are, be-you-tiful NaLu friendship! :3 :3 :3 I'm going trick-or-treating as an elf this year. THAT'S RIGHT! A CHRISTMAS ELF ON HALLOWEEN! :D How 'bout you guys, what're you going as?**

 **Mira: Are you asking us... or the readers? 'Cause I would totally rock Wonder Woman. Lasso of Truth, ATTACK!**

 **Wendy: *glances back up at chapter* I think I'd like being an angel! ^.^**

 **Gray: A pirate? Huh, not bad, Kit. I was sure you were gonna make fun of me...**

 **Well, I could. You'd look pretty good in an Elsa costume...**

 **Gray: !**

 **Anywho, readers, tell me what you thought of this and ALSO, I would LOVE to know what you're dressing up as this year! See you tomorrow, bye-bye! :3**


	102. Why Blue Doesn't Like Nashi

**Today's topic shall be...**

 **Mira: *drumroll***

 **Wendy: *drumroll***

 **Gray: *does not drumroll***

 **...NASHI AND BLUE'S CUTENESS! :D**

 **Day One Hundred Two**

 **Blue Does Not Like Nashi**

Blue did not like Nashi. He did not like Nashi one bit.

He did not like it when she punched him and set him on fire. It was _not_ fun. Not _at all._

But that was okay, because Nashi did not like Blue. She did not like him one bit.

She did not like it when he kicked her and froze her pigtails. It was a lot of fun for Blue, though. It was _very_ fun.

"Blue," she whined, "Blue, you're annoying! Go away!"

"I am not annoying! You're annoying!"

"If you think I'm annoying, go away, and you don't have to see me anymore." She grinned. He frowned, because he knew she had him there.

Blue did not like Nashi. He did not like Nashi one bit.

"No," he said finally. "I won't go away, 'cause I don't _wanna!"_

Nashi scowled at him.

One second.

Two.

Three...

 _"DADDDDDYYYYYYYY!"_ she screamed at an incredible volume for being only four years old. _"MOMMMYYYYYYYYYY!"_

 _Uh oh,_ thought Blue.

Natsu busted down Nashi's bedroom door. _"NASHI!"_ he roared, fists on fire. "Who's messin' with my baby - _oh."_ His eyes narrowed upon seeing Blue. "It's just you."

That was when Lucy showed up, magical whip in hand. _"NO ONE TOUCHES MY CHILD!"_

"But I _didn't_ \- "

"Blue?! What are you doing here?" Lucy exclaimed, dropping the whip in surprise.

"He tried to freeze off my pigtails again," Nashi whined.

"I did not - !"

All of Blue's cries, however, were in vain, because they did not stop Natsu from picking Blue up and tossing him out the window. "Problem solved," the pink-haired man said, satisfied.

So, no. Blue did not like Nashi. He did not like her one bit.

... ... ...

 **There you go, hope you enjoyed. ;) I just love this fanfic more and more with each passing day...**

 **Gray: You're gettin' all sappy. -_-**

 **Mira: *slaps* Sappy can be good!**

 **Wendy: ^.^ See you tomorrow, readers!**


	103. Facebook Insanity, PART FOUR

**I don't know what to write abooouuut...**

 **Gray: Sucks for you.**

 **Mira: You haven't done FB Insanity in a long time!**

 **Wendy: Ummm... s-somehow I don't think this will be any kind of serious.**

 **You're 100 percent right - that's why we call it crack! :D**

 **Day One Hundred Three**

 **Facebook Insanity, PART FOUR**

Since it's not like anyone remembers what last went down in my Facebook Insanity 'verse, why don't we start somewhat afresh?

Let's see... perhaps Lucy will be sitting in her apartment now, scrolling through the many pages open on her phone. And perhaps Natsu will be peeking through her window, sniggering to himself and typing something on his own phone. And perhaps Lucy will get a notification from her Facebook...

* * *

 **Natsu Dragneel: Lucy is boring. Lucy is boring boring boring boring boring...**

 **Happy is a Cat likes this.**

 ** _Comments:_ **

**Happy is a Cat: Agreed! Lucy is the boringest person ever!**

 **Charle is a Cat: I still don't understand your last name...**

 **Panther Lily: Yours is the same as his!**

 **Mirajane Strauss and Happy is a Cat like this.**

 **Mirajane Strauss: Ooh, the same last name? Does that mean they're married?**

 **Happy is a Cat: OH NO! WE'RE MARRIED?! I'M SORRY, CHARLE, I FORGOT THE WEDDING! AND THE RING! WAAHHHHH!**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: I AM NOT BORING!**

 **Natsu Dragneel: Well sure you are. :D All ya ever do is sit around and whine about rent...**

 **Happy is a Cat, Gray Fullbuster, and 5 others like this.**

 **Natsu Dragneel: SNOWFLAKE?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!**

 **Gray Fullbuster: Same to you, Flame Brain!**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: They use the same insults every single time...**

 **Mirajane Strauss, Happy is a Cat, and 30948230948 others like this.**

* * *

Lucy groans, throwing her phone down onto her bed and flopping her face down in the pillow. It's amusing that she still hasn't realized Natsu is hovering outside her window, courtesy of Happy.

Wait... how does Happy even type anything while holding Natsu?

* * *

 **Happy is a Cat: It's hard to type on Facebook while holding a dragonslayer in your arms. :(**

 **Charle is a Cat and Panther Lily like this.**

 ** _Comments:_ **

**Panther Lily: Especially when the dragonslayer in question happens to be HEAVY.**

 **Levy McGarden likes this.**

 **Gajeel Redfox: Oi! Cat! I can see this too y'know!**

 **Happy is a Cat: Waaiiiiit, I didn't add you as a friend, how can you comment on my page?!**

 **Gajeel Redfox: ... ... ... ... ... no comment.**

 **Levy McGarden: Ummmmm that was a comment, Gajeel.**

 **Gajeel Redfox: *the following comment has been censored***

 **Levy McGarden: GAJEEL! WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT SWEARING INCESSANTLY ON SOCIAL MEDIA?!**

 **Wendy Marvell, Charle is a Cat, and 21 others like this.**

 **Charle is a Cat: WENDY?! You're on here?!**

 **Wendy Marvell: Yes :) Happy is very kind, he's friends with everyone! I'm friends with everyone too~!**

 **Charle is a Cat: ...are you friends with Gajeel?**

 **Wendy Marvell: Yes ^.^ He says a lot of funny words on my page sometimes though. I don't know what they mean.**

* * *

Lucy stares at her phone screen in slight shock. "Well, I knew she was young and innocent, but I didn't think she was _that_ innocent. I should tell Charle good job..."

* * *

 **Lucy Heartfilia: I'm low on rent *sigh***

 **Natsu Dragneel, Erza Scarlet, and 23901 others like this.**

 _ **Comments:**_

 **Natsu Dragneel: Great! That means we can go on a job! Let's go, Luce!**

 **Erza Scarlet, Gray Fullbuster, and 1 others** **like this.**

 **Erza Scarlet: Indeed, we should come.**

 **Happy is a Cat: I was the 1 other! Let's go, Lushee!**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: Okay~!**

* * *

Outside Lucy's window, Natsu cries out, "YOSH! Finally, I was wondering when you'd stop being boring!"

Slowly, Lucy turns to stare out the window.

 _"...how long have you been here?"_

"Dunno, at least ten minutes."

She stares at him for one moment longer, prepares herself to yell at him, and then -

"So, how 'bout that job, Luce?"

For some _strange_ reason, his smile completely melts her. She grins back, flashing him a thumbs-up, and her anger vanishes. "Sounds good to me!"

* * *

 **Oooh, I'm fancy. I used line breaks today. ^.^**

 **Wendy: Hope you enjooooyyyyyed~!**


	104. Sunrise

**Wow, everyone really seemed to love the return of FB Insanity yesterday - don't worry, you'll be seeing plenty more of THAT soon~!**

 **Also, I'm going to be even more fancy than yesterday with my page break style. :D No more dot-dot-dots or standard lines for me! Today, I'm using HYPHENS and COLONS! That's right!**

 **Gray: Oooh. So** ** _faaaaaannncy._** ***sarcastic***

 **Mira: I know right?! Fancyyyyyyyyyy~! *not sarcastic***

 **Day One Hundred Four**

 **Sunrise**

Sunrise was Lucy's absolute favorite time of day, no question. Despite how ridiculously early if was, she loved to be able to sit and watch the stark black sky fade to light violet, before the rays of light broke over the horizon, illuminating the world. It looked almost like a fairy tale...

-:-

Natsu had always loved the sunrise. It was just so _cool!_ Even though it really sucked to have to get up early in order to see it, he often did, and on those days he knew he would never have missed it for a few more hours' sleep. The way the rays lit up the sky like fire never failed to awe him. To him, it looked like something out of one of Lucy's books - something cool and awesome, like dragon fire.

-:-

Lucy's hands clamped tightly together. It was cold and extra-dark this morning. She hurried through the streets of Magnolia, heading for her favorite spot in the city - the place with the best view of the sunrise. Her breath made little clouds of fog as she ran.

When she finally arrived at the little clifftop area, Lucy couldn't help but smile. The view from here was always beautiful, even without the added effects of the sunrise. Lucy sat herself down in the grass to wait.

-:-

Natsu shivered a little as he ran through the streets of Magnolia. Mavis, it was cold. He'd need to hurry if he wanted to catch the sunrise, and the added benefit of running was that it would warm him up.

He liked to watch the sunrise from the roof of one of the houses near the edge of town. Nobody lived there, so he wasn't bothering anybody, and it really did give the perfect view.

Once he'd clambered up to the top of the house, Natsu plopped himself down on the edge of the roof, legs dangling. He grinned. This was such a cool spot. But something caught his eye down below...

"Lucy?" he mumbled to himself as he watched her rush through the streets. She was clearly in a hurry, but for what?

He'd been in a hurry earlier, too... could it be for the same reason?

Natsu hopped down from the roof (it's an anime, they jump down from higher distances all the time!) and set off following Lucy, determined to find out just why she was out so early in the morning.

-:-

As she watched the sky with a dreamy gaze, Lucy let her thoughts wander a bit. She thought Natsu would probably like the sunrise, but if she told him that, she had no doubt he would just call her weird. As usual.

Lucy smiled slightly. If anyone was a weirdo, it was obviously _him._

Just then, though, a voice jarred her from her thoughts. A voice that shocked her.

"Luce...?"

-:-

When he saw the way she was sitting there, chin in hand, gazing dreamily at the horizon, Natsu knew right away what Lucy was doing. She was waiting for the sunrise.

"Luce...?"

He watched carefully as she turned, eyes wide. "Natsu! What are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "I wanted to see what you were doing."

"I - w-well, I..." Lucy turned pink and looked away. She looked embarrassed. Why was she embarrassed? Why _would_ she be?

"You were going to watch the sunrise, weren't you?" he guessed.

"...yeah," she finally confessed. "Yeah, I was."

-:-

Crap.

Now he'd think she was an even bigger weirdo than before.

 _Good job, Lucy,_ she admonished herself.

-:-

Natsu grinned. "Really?! Me too!"

Lucy's eyes widened again, and she broke into a relieved smile. "Don't you think it looks so amazing?"

He nodded, flashing his teeth at her in an even bigger smile. "Sure does. Kinda like the sky's on fire, y'know?"

"Yeah," she agreed.

Her face softened, and then to his surprise, she reached out and intertwined her fingers in his, sitting down and dragging him with with her. "Now let's watch the sunrise, 'kay?"

And that became their thing. One morning a week, both would wake up in the dark and meet there, on the clifftop, right at sunrise, to watch the fire light up the sky.

-:-

 **You likey my fluff? :3**

 **Mira: ME LOVEY YOUR FLUFF!**

 **Wendy: Your page breaks were very fancy today. c:**

 **Aww, thanks, Wendy! ~I'm so faaannncyyy, you already knoo-ooww~**

 **Gray: *rolls eyes***


	105. Lucy Turns into a Cat

**Today's title is painfully unoriginal, but whatever. XD It tells you what happens.**

 **Wendy: Good enough. :3**

 **Gray: Well, get on with it, I guess.**

 **Day One Hundred Five**

 **Lucy Turns into a Cat**

See? What did I tell you? Unoriginal! But straightforward. Anyway... One day, Lucy was walking through the forest, and a strange mage showed up and turned her into a cat. Boom. Done. Chapter over, the end.

Right?

Wrong.

Why don't I actually write a chapter now?

"Lucy," Natsu called as he trudged through the forest. "Lucy! _Lucy! LUUUUC-"_ Suddenly Natsu froze, eyes widening. _"Mavis..."_

Lucy's keys were lying on the ground, as were her clothes.

And sitting in the middle of it was a small, golden cat.

"Meow," the cat said. Wait, that doesn't sound right. "Meow," the cat meowed. Ah, yes, much better.

"Lucy?" Natsu whispered, eyes wide.

"Meow," the cat meowed back... Natsu took that as a yes.

"LUUUUUCCCCYYYYYY!" Natsu yelled in anguish. "Why are you a cat?! Aaaauuuggghhh! Now we can't do jobs together! You can't do jobs if you're a cat, you'd just be useless!"

* * *

Back at the guild, Happy sneezed.

* * *

"Oh, this is awful," Natsu moaned, picking up Lucy-cat. He peered at her, scratching her under the golden chin. Lucy-cat purred. "Though ya are kinda cute..."

"Natsu?"

Natsu looked up.

Standing in front of him was Lucy.

"Lucy!" he cried. "You're not a cat!"

"Um," Lucy replied, glancing down at her spare clothes and her Celestial keys on the ground, and the cat in Natsu's arms. "Noooo... I was just walking through the woods and I was hot, so I decided to take off my winter clothes and put on my summer ones."

"Oh..."

She gestuneed to a clump of shrubbery to her left. "I was changing in those bushes over there. And this little cutie" - she gestured to the kitten - "is a little friend I found alone in the woods!" She grinned. "No cat transformations here, see?"

Natsu stared at her, then back at the cat.

"...Lucy, you weirdo! Who changes clothes in the middle of the woods?!"

* * *

Okay, so I lied. It wasn't a straightforward title after all.

* * *

 **Mira: *giggling* Well okay then.**

 **Gray: Natsu is an idiot.**

 **Wendy: Well, I guess Lucy could turn into a cat. She COULD. So it is KINDA believable.**

 **Gray: Nah, I'm not talking about the chapter. I just wanted to point out that, in general, Natsu is an idiot.**

 ***facepalm* Of course, Gray. Of course.**


	106. Just Say It

**I'm sleepy...**

 **Day One Hundred Six**

 **Just Say It**

Lucy had made her decision.

She was going to tell Natsu.

That was it. That was all that would happen. She would tell him, she didn't know what would happen next, and one way or another they'd carry on with their lives.

And all she had to do was _tell him_.

So Lucy hid in her apartment for three days, practiced what she'd day fifty times, gathered her courage, and prepared to go find him...

But it turned out she didn't have to find him, as he came to her window.

Obviously Lucy had had it locked for the last three days so she could think about... well, _everything..._ without Natsu and his rock-hard chest and has and adorable smile and charming cheerfulness and sweet disposition to distract her.

He had come knocking at the window more than once, of course. And, of course, she hadn't let him in. But now, Lucy crossed the threshold of her apartment to undo the latch on the windowsill. Natsu, or course, was full of questions.

The first thing he did was hug her, which made her nearly faint. The second thing he did was whine about how much he'd missed her. And the third thing he did was ask _why._

"Luce," he whined, "why'd ya hafta stay all locked up for so long?"

"Natsu," Lucy replied slowly, trying not to get annoyed by his impatience, "I was just... thinking about something." She took a deep breath. "Something important."

He cooked his head. "What?"

Lucy took another deep breath.

 _Just tell him._

"I'm... in love with you, Natsu."

He started at her.

She turned away, a blush brightening her face. "I-I'm sorry," she began to stammer. "I didn't - I mean, you can just - f-forget about this if you want - I mean, I don't know - I'm not - I better go."

"...Luce?"

She was silent, turning away from him and making as if to leave.

"...you'd better go _where?"_

Lucy turned back to stare at him, realizing he had a point. She couldn't go home, because she already was home. Maybe she could just go to the guild -

Natsu took advantage of her momentary indecision to press his lips to hers.

She was stiff for a half second before responding, deepening the kiss. He pulled away after only a few seconds and grinning at her.

"I love you too... weirdo."

... ... ...

 **...looks like Mira fainted of a fluff overload.**

 **Mira: *is fainted of a fluff overload***

 **Gray: *rolls eyes* You're both weird.**

 **Says the member of Fairy Tail, craziest and weirdest guild in Fiore!**

 **Gray: ...touché.**

 **Wendy: Buh-bye, readerrrrrrs~! See you tomorrroooowwww~!**

 **Thanks to my best fanfiction friend, Typhlosion8, for her wonderful idea!**

 **And also, CHECK OUT THESE FANFICS!**

 ** _NaLu Days_** **by NashiDragneelx (based off of this one! OMG I AM OF THE POPULARS)**

 ** _Contracted_** **by Typhlosion8 (one of the coolest fanfic ideas I have ever seen!)**


	107. Don't Take the Girl

**So, a few of you have been asking where all my angst is... XD It's only been since Day 99 - so that means 8 days, if I can math, which I'm not sure if I can. Gray, can you math?**

 **Gray: ...can you English?**

 **Mira: Well, she IS a writer.**

 **Graaayyyyyy!**

 **Gray: Er, I think it's been 8 days, yeah.**

 **Great! That means it's TOTALLY flangst time!**

 **Wendy: Oh noooo... ;-; More angst... wait... "flangst"...?**

 **Mira: Fluffy angst! ^.^**

 **Day One Hundred Seven**

 **Don't Take the Girl**

They're on a date, just the two of them. It isn't their first, but it almost ends up being their last.

"Natsu!" the blond girl laughs, swatting at the pink-haired boy's shoulder. "Manners, remember? This is a pretty nice restaurant, you know."

"Thorry, Luthy," he mumbles through a mouthful of food, but a glare from the blond girl makes him wince. He swallows, before repeating, "Sorry, Lucy."

The girl, Lucy, smiles. He grins back, reaching across the table for two to take her hand. Ever since they started dating, these kinds of romantic gestures have become common between the two of them - hand holding, less care for personal space, kissing now and then, romantic dates, less-romantic dates... And neither would have it any other way.

"So who's paying for the food?" she says now, reaching her free hand down to her purse. "You or me?"

"Well, me, ya weirdo," Natsu laughs, rolling his eyes. "Isn't that the guy's job?"

She raises an eyebrow, resting her chin on her free hand. "Among other things, yeah."

He gives her other hand, the one he's holding, a gentle squeeze. "So didja even have to ask?"

... ... ...

They're walking home now, hand in hand, and he's sure to stand close enough to her to deliver an unspoken message to everyone who passes by: _She's my girl._ Every knowing smile they receive from passersby makes him grin.

Mavis, he loves his Lucy.

But the sweet moment between the two of them quickly turns into something more deadly. Natsu's dragonlike ears pick up sounds no one else can, and he grabs Lucy, pulling her close to him, just as another man lunges for her and pulls her away.

"Let her go." The strange man pulls out a gun and presses it to Lucy's temple. "No one interfere! Or I pull the trigger."

Horror spreads across Natsu's face, and he immediately releases Lucy. Nothing in the world would be worth her life, and even his magic-enhanced reflexes couldn't beat the speed of a gun. "What do you _want?"_ he spits out, fists clenching in an effort to restrain himself.

The man smiles slowly, perfectly aware of the control he has over Natsu. "Everything. Every last valuable you have on you."

Hands trembling, Natsu reaches into his back pocket, pulling out his entire wallet. He thrusts it forward. Then he pulls out the keys to his car, the phone Lucy bought him a few months ago - _everything._ "Take it," he cries, voice shaking. "Take it all - I don't want it - Mavis, just _don't take the girl."_

The man examines everything, pocketing it all. He eyes Natsu's scarf next. "That scarf of yours - it looks to be made of fine material. I'm sure it would sell well."

Natsu's hands clutch the piece of fabric. His scarf... last remnant of Igneel he has left...

 _It's not worth Lucy._

Eyes watering, Natsu hands it over. "What else?" he asks, voice breaking. "What else do you want from me? Mavis, take _anything._ _Anything but Lucy_. "

Lucy stares at him the entire time, but is too afraid to speak. A single word could cost her life. But inch by inch, she lifts her hand, and the man's eyes are only on Natsu and his money and everything to notice Lucy.

She draws in a breath.

And then, with a snap of her wrists, Lucy grabs the gun, rips it out of the man's hands, and tumbles away. Natsu's arms are around her in an instant, and the wetness she feels in her hair tells her that he's crying. "Mavis, Luce," she hears him whisper. "I was so scared..."

She smiles, gently reaching up to grasp his hand in hers. Her other hand holds tightly to the gun that threatened her life only moments ago. "It's okay, Natsu... I'm okay."

She feels him nod. He stands, helping her to her feet as well, and turns to the man, whose face has gone white. He seems ready to make a break for it, but with the crowd apparently realizing he's no longer armed, he doesn't have much of chance.

Now Natsu's face is a mask of dark fury. His fists clench, flames lighting his hands.

"You're gonna _pay_ for messing with _my Lucy._ "

... ... ...

 **So this was based on the second verse of an AWESOME song called "Don't Take the Girl" by Tim McGraw. It is a beautiful song, and I absolutely love it. I'll probably do a sequel to this, actually, based on the third verse... anyway, I LOVE THAT SONG AND I BET YOU WOULD TOO.**

 **Wendy: Sounds like a nice song~!**

 **Mira: SO MUCH FLANGST -** **ERMAGERSH THE FLANGST - FLAAAANNNGST**

 **Gray: Uh-huh.**

 **And also, as another reminder, DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THIS STORY:**

 ** _Contracted_ by Typhlosion8! **

**It is a love-a-lee story that is super creative and even though I'm not sure what ship she's doing for it, it's still a GORGEOUS story. And even if she ends up doing LoLu, she's really good at writing LoLu... so it will still be awesome. ㈴1**

 **So there ya go! See you tomorrow!**


	108. Writer's Block

**GUESS WHO JUST WATCHED** ** _INSIDE OUT,_** **THE BEST MOVIE EVER SEEN ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH?!**

 **Gray: Hmm,** ** _let me think_** **. You?**

 **Mira: That movie came out ages ago! You finally saw it?! :D**

 **^.^ Yep! And it was WONDERFUL!**

 **Wendy: It made me cry... ;~;**

 **...;~; me toooooo...**

 **Mira: *shoves Kit at computer* WRITE!**

 **Day One Hundred Eight**

 **Writer's Block**

Lucy was stuck with the most AWFUL case of writer's block in just about EVER.

 _And it was Natsu's fault!_ All his fault, all his fault, _all his fault!_ "ARGH!" Lucy yelled, kicking the wall and possibly fracturing her big toe. "STUPID! NATSU! WRITER'S! BLOCK! _UGH!"_

(As you may be able to tell, Lucy was very emotional when it came to her writing... eheheh, I would know about that kind of thing.)

Flopping down into her bed, Lucy groaned. What kind of idiotic dragonslayer decides that a list of plot points for a super-cool story looks like _good kindling?!_ "GOOD KINDLING?! REALLY?!" Lucy roared, punching her pillow multiple times. "YOU THING YOU'RE JUST GONNA USE MY WRITING TO _START YOUR DANG FIRE?!"_

"...yes...?"

"I WASN'T ASKING Y-" Lucy froze suddenly, eyes narrowing. "Natsu," she said dangerously to the pink-haired boy who was now sitting on her bed. Crap! Just how long had he been there? _"How,_ exactly, did you get back into my apartment?" Lucy asked, crossing her arms and glaring.

Natsu only shrugged, unfazed as ever by her death glare. _How does Erza do it?!_ Lucy wondered for what felt like the millionth time in her life.

"You left your window unlocked, weirdo," Natsu said now, rolling his eyes. "Jeez. You really think locking the _door_ is gonna keep me out?"

Lucy opened her mouth to argue, then closed it, sweat-dropping at the realization that he kind of had a point there...

"Anyway," Natsu said with a grin that instantly melted Lucy. He hopped out of bed, dragging her over to the desk. "You can just write another plot-pointer-thingy, can't ya?"

"That's not how it WORKS, Natsu!" Lucy exploded, shoving him back toward the bed. He fell backwards onto it, and she planted one hand in the bed, jabbing his chest with the index finger of her other hand. "I can't just _write it all over again_ , don't you _get_ that?!"

Natsu only grinned, pulling her into him, and she gave a squeak of surprise. "You idiot, gitoff me," she mumbled, blushing to high heaven.

"Maybe I'm an idiot, but I'm _your_ idiot," the pink-haired dragonslayer purred in a manner that made the hairs on the back of Lucy's neck raise. _"All yours."_

Before Lucy even had time to try and dissect the implications behind that statement, Natsu turned around and tossed her onto the bed, attacking her with tickles. "TICKLE FIGHT!" he roared as Lucy screamed with laughter.

And with an extremely ticklish dragon keeping her occupied all afternoon, Lucy found that writer's block had quickly become the least of her worries.

... ... ...

 **So maybe I should have titled this "Tickle Fight" instead. XD Ehhhhh, whatever. So yeah, I had Natsu being all hot and then acting like NOTHING had happened, and then Lucy being all blush-y and nervous... XD Nothing new, considering the two of them.**

 **Mira: Bye-bye, readers! See you tomorrow! :3**

 **Wendy: And don't forget to read _Contracted_ by Typhlosion8! **


	109. This is Not a Poem

***yawwwnnnn* ...what should I write about today, huh?**

 **Wendy: ...ummm... Angst? Crack? Orrrrrr fluff?**

 **Mira: Er, maybe we could narrow it down just a LITTLE more.**

 **Gray: You could write a poem, Kit. You haven't done one of those in awhile...**

 **Ooooh, good idea! :D**

 **Day One Hundred Nine**

 **This is Not a Poem**

 _Hi_

 _Lucy._

 _What's_

 _up?_

 _I_

 _really_

 _stink_

 _at_

 _poetry_

 _so_

 _does_

 _this_

 _count?_

"..."

Lucy stared at the poem, resting her elbows on the bar counter, before handing the paper back to Natsu.

"...no."

He pouted, slumping down onto the counter. "Awwwwww, daaarrrrn! But Luuuuuuuuce, look. It's got the funny lines and spaces where there shouldn't be! So it's gotta be a poem!"

Lucy rolled her eyes. "That's _not_ all there is to poetry, Natsu."

"Oh..." Natsu scratched his head, frowning at the piece of paper. "Oh! Oh, OOOHHHHH! I know! Hold on..."

Lucy gazed, unimpressed, in Natsu's direction as he scribbled a few things down on the paper. "There," he stated proudly, thrusting it back in her direction.

 _Hi!_

 _Lucy,!?_

 _IIIIII_

 _rEallY STINK_

 _At_

 _POETRYYYYYY!?/_

 _Sooooooo does_

 _THis_

 _cO UNT. ? ! " " " "_

Lucy's eyes narrowed in a frown as she scrutinized the paper. "Um."

"See? It has random capitalization AND funny line-enter-key-things AND spaces where there shouldn't be AAANNNDDD weird punctuation to boot! It has to be poetry now!"

Lucy facepalmed. "NATSU. THAT. IS. NOT. POETRY."

"...so what IS poetry, then?"

"Here," Lucy sighed in response, sprawling a quick poem down on the bottom of the paper and sliding it across the bar counter to Natsu. _"This_ is poetry."

 _Roses are red,_

 _Violets are blue,_

 _Sugar is sweet_

 _And so are you._

Natsu scratched his head again. "Sweet?"

From a few seats to their right, Gray snorted. "You called him _'sweet'?_ Well, that's a first."

Lucy flushed bright pink. "I wasn't - ugh, Gray, it was just an example poem, okay?"

"But wait," Natsu said, confused. "This poem says violets are blue. No they're not! Violets are _violet,_ duh!" He paused. "Wait... is THAT what makes poetry? Weirdo logic and stuff that's not true?"

Lucy stared at him for another moment.

 _"...I give up!"_

... ... ...

 **There you go, poetry in a nutshell.**

 **Wendy: Wait... that's what poetry is? Weirdo logic and bad grammar?**

 **Mira: *sweatdrops* No, Wendy, it's -**

 **Gray: *reading a book of poetry* Sounds about right.**

 **Mira: WHYYYYY MUST YOU BASH POETRRYYYYYY?!**

 **Aw, don't be silly, Mira. We're not bashing... just poking fun at it. After all, poetry is AWESOME and I love to write it and I think I did a pretty nice job on that one day, Sky and Sea, even though I forgot about Natsu's motion sickness and stuck him and Lucy on a boat.**

 **Well... whatever. There's Troia, y'know. We'll stick with that...?**


	110. Tear-Stained Letters

**Haiiiiiiii guys... here's flangst with a HAPPY ending! Again!**

 **Mira: Are you sure...?**

 **Nope! Maybe! Whatever! Just reeeaaad~!**

 **Day One Hundred Ten**

 **Tear-Stained Letters**

The blond-haired girl stares at the crinkled piece of paper in her hand, tears gathering in her big brown eyes.

 _Dear Natsu,_

 _You idiot! What kind of confession was that?! You aren't supposed to tell a girl you love her right before you_

The remainder of the letter is too smeared to read, probably because she cried so much when she wrote it, the girl recalls. She presses her lips into a tight line, determined not to let her tears spill over.

She won't cry.

She's already cried enough already, and besides, there isn't a reason to cry anymore, is there? She turns and glances at the sleeping form on her bed, then back at the paper in her hands, before choosing another from the messy pile on her desk.

 _Dear Natsu,_

 _You shouldn't have done it. I don't care if the whole world would have been torn apart, you shouldn't have just run in there like an idiot! That's why you're dead, moron!_

The girl smiles weakly. A moron. Always has been, always will be...

 _Dear Natsu,_

 _Gray says you might have made it out alive. I want to believe him, but I know... I can't get my hopes up. Mavis, I can't... I just can't. I don't need my heart freaking broken again._

 _Natsu... you have n-no idea how much I m-miss you..._

Tiny teardrops have smeared the words "no" and "miss," but Lucy can still make them out. And she remembers vividly enough, anyway. Those cold, dark nights without a cheerful pink-haired dragonslayer to brighten and warm everything around her...

She reads another letter.

"Oh Mavis," she whispers, voice cracking. "Why am I doing this to myself...?"

The figure on her bed stirs, but Lucy doesn't notice. She's numb, hardly aware of her own motions.

 _Dear Natsu,_

 _I don't think I can do this anymore. I just... can't. A life without you... It's not worth it anymore, is it?_

Her hands grip the paper so tightly her knuckles turn white. She closes her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks.

The figure on the bed, meanwhile, sits up, revealing a head of messy pink hair. "L-Luce?"

She breathes in sharply, scrambling to shove the letters back in their box, but Natsu is too quick for her. In an instant, he's fully awake and at her side, holding her close.

"Oh Mavis," Lucy whispers, fighting back more tears. "Natsu, I - I thought you were - why did you - "

"I know," he murmurs gently, running a calloused hand through her hair. His other hand finds a fresher piece of paper, written on a mere hour ago. It's been only a few hours since he returned from somewhere he would not tell.

"It was horrible," was all he told the guild. "It was _hell on earth_."

But that didn't matter anymore, because he had come back, he was alive... and now Lucy found herself re-asking the same questions she had earlier that day. _Why_ did he leave her like that? _Why_ did he risk his life so carelessly?

 _Dear Natsu,_

 _You're such an idiot! Why would you let us think you were dead for so long? I lost sleep for_ _ **weeks**_ _thinking about you, wishing things could have gone differently... Gray blamed himself, you know. I think everyone blamed themselves. Happy stopped eating until we found out, and then we had to force him to eat..._

 _Oh my_ _ **gosh**_ _, you're such a moron. We love you, okay?! We don't want to have to think you're freaking_ _ **dead**_ _for five months. It_ _ **hurts**_ _. I don't care if you're saving the world, I want to at least be by your side, because_ _ **I love you.**_

 _Get it now?_

 _I freaking love you, moron._

Natsu pulls away from Lucy, eyes scanning the paper, brow furrowing. He looks up at her, eyes wide, completely speechless, tears in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he chokes out, wrapping her in his arms once more. "I - I love you too."

She returns the embrace gratefully, sinking into his warmth.

"...I forgive you."

-:-

 **Flangst! With a happy ending! Yaaaaayyyyyyy!**

 **Mira: I THOUGHT YOU KILLED HIM!**

 **Gray: *scowls* We all did... ANYWAY, I would SO not blame myself. If Flame Brain dies, it's Flame Brain's fault.**

 **Yeah right, Gray. We all know you're a total softie inside.**

 **Gray: ... ... ... *fumes silently***

 **Wendy: ... ;~; Poor Natsu-san and Lucy-san... s-see you tomorrow, readers...**


	111. A Fleeting Smile

**Oi! What's up?!**

 **Gray: The sky. The clouds. The birds. The Flying-type Pokemon. Happy. Charle. Panther Lily -**

 **OKAY, WE GET IT.**

 **Mira: XD**

 **Wendy: Well, Gray-san IS right... all of those things ARE up...**

 **Good point... hey, guys, IIIIIT'S CHAPTER TIIIIIME! This one's in my high school AU, by the way!**

 **Day One Hundred Ten**

 **A Fleeting Smile**

Even on the days they don't see each other much, they converse. Not with words, because often they don't even get the chance to speak, what with busy high school schedules and all, but with _looks._ With their eyes, with their faces.

He sees her in the hallway going from English to art every day, and offers her a wide, toothy grin. Even if he's upset. Even if he's tired. Because Natsu knows that his smile is the one thing Lucy always wants to see from him.

Her expression, though - it varies. Sometimes he'll get only a nod, on days that she's exhausted or stressed. Sometimes he'll get a weak, sad grin, on days that things are bad at home. Most days, though, he gets a smile.

It's never long. Just a glance. Their eyes will meet quickly before tearing apart, and he'll read every emotion hidden within those big brown irises. Some days she manages to fight past the crowd and press her lips to his ear, whispering words for only him to know.

 _I love you._

 _See you tonight._

 _Have a beautiful day._

Or even a simple _hi._

Every word, every motion, every moment they share is worth the world to Natsu. He wouldn't trade it for the world, any of it, and he wouldn't change a thing about their relationship.

Even on the days she is able to offer nothing but a fleeting smile in his direction.

... ... ...

 **So, drabbly, fluffy, romantical stuff... ^.^ I'm in that sort of mood!**

 **Mira: Is "romantical" a word?**

 **Yes!**

 **Gray: ...No.**

 **Wendy: Maybe?**

 **Eh, whatever, I think it should be! :D See you tomorrow, folks!**


	112. Ice Cream is Sweet

**What time is iiiiiit? it's time for fluff!**

 **Mira: YAY!**

 **Or angst.**

 **Wendy: NOT YAY!**

 **Orrrr... FLANGST!**

 **Gray: Ummm... yay...?**

 **Orrrrr... orrrrrr...** **oooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr... NASHI BEING ADORABLE, OF COURSE!**

 **Day One Hundred Twelve**

 **Ice Cream is Sweet**

"Mmm," Nashi said, licking ice cream off of her fingers as it dribbled down the cone. "Triple chocolate chip is the yummiest ice cream flavor EVER!"

Lucy laughed lightly, gently wiping her six-year-old daughter's hands with a napkin. "It's always been one of my favorites, too."

Nashi grinned, not at all minding the sticky, chocolate-flavored residue all over her face and hands and... well, everywhere else... though the state of her clothes made her mother cringe. "Mama, d'you want some ice cream too?" She asked, thrusting the dripping cone at Lucy.

But the blond mage smiled and waved off the offer. "No, no, that's fine, Nashi. I, ah..." She glanced at the sticky mess all over her daughter. _I'd rather not be covered in chocolate right after my shower._ "I'm not in the mood for ice cream."

This, however, made Nashi's jaw drop, and she nearly dropped her ice cream. "You're not in the mood for _ice cream?!_ B-but Mama, that _can't_ happen!"

"Oh, I - " Lucy faltered for a moment. "Honey, sometimes grown-ups don't like sweets all the time..."

Nashi's free hand clapped over her mouth. "D-Does that mean when I grow up, I won't like ice cream anymore?! Or _candy?!"_ The thought was just too much for the pink-haired six-year-old, and she felt her eyes begin to well up with tears. "OH NO! I WANNA ALWAYS HAVE ICE CREAM!" she sobbed, dropping her hands to her sides and bawling. Just then, the ice cream fell off the cone and landed on the ground with a _splat._ Nashi's eyes widened again before she burst into sobs once more.

"Oh no, don't cry, sweetheart!" Lucy cried out, swooping in to wrap her daughter in her arms. "It's alright, baby," she soothed. "You'll be fine. If you love ice cream, I'm sure you'll still love it when you grow up."

Nashi sniffled. "You promise?"

"I promise."

And that was when Blue came over. In his hands he clutched a pink piece of paper with a few words scrawled on in messy, boyish handwriting. "Hey, Nashi," he called, waving. Nashi pulled away from her mother, frowning at the boy in question.

"What are you doing here?" she asked shortly, arms folded, brow furrowing as she glared.

Blue shifted on his feet. "Uh, so - um - I just - "

"Stop being a baby," Nashi taunted. "Tell me, Blue!"

Blue scowled. "Fine! Look, I saw this thing in a store and I thought I'd give it to you, okay?" With that, he handed over the paper.

Nashi took it, thoroughly scrutinizing it before she read what was written. It was a pale baby pink, with white lace around the edges, and heart-shaped. In the middle was printed a message.

 _Roses are pink_

 _And this card is, too._

 _Ice cream is sweet_

 _And so are you!_

Nashi turned a slight shade of pink when she read the poem. Below that were a few words scrawled on in Blue's handwriting...

 _You're not sweet, but whatever. Hope you like this, Pinky. It only cost me half a Jewel._

 _\- Blue_

At this, Nashi's face resembled more of a red color, going redder by the second. "BLUE!" she screeched, but the raven-haired boy was nowhere to be seen, having already run for cover on the other side of the guild - and that was certainly a smart move, judging by how angry Nashi looked.

The pink-haired girl turned to ask her mother for help... but that was no good, as Natsu had come over and was certainly enjoying a _very_ long, _very_ deep kiss with his wife. Nashi turned red for a different reason before hurrying away.

Oh, well.

Looks like she'd just have to tear him apart herself.

(Quite a violent thought for a six-year-old, you might say, but then, she is _Natsu's_ child...)

... ... ...

 **This one was fuuuunnnnnnn~! Hope you enjoyed. I love writing Nashi x Blue... guess what my ship name for it is, huh? Guess!**

 **Mira: Umm...**

 **Gray: Umm...**

 **Wendy: Tell ussssssssss!**

 **IIIIIITTTT'S... you know what? I'll have ALL of you guess! All you readers! Guess! _Guess! GUESS!_ **


	113. Finding Notes

**Okay, let's see if I can write the fastest one-shot in the world, 'cause my time is severely limited.**

 **Mira: Ready, set go!**

 **Wendy: Ooo, it's a sequel to "Passing Notes"!**

 **Day One Hundred Thirteen**

 **Finding Notes**

Natsu was going to find that note. He swore he would. After all, it had Lucy's last name in it! And he totally needed to find out her last name. After all, it would be really weird if he didn't even know the last name of his crush(and future girlfriend, of course, because he was SO going to ask her out one day and she was SO going to say yes).

But first things first.

Find that note!

First thing after school that day - thankfully history was his last class of the day, so school ended pretty soon after that annoying janitor took out the trash - Natsu hurried over to the seventh grade office.

"Hey," he said to the secretary, Mrs. Girard. "Um, where do the janitors take the trash and stuff?"

Mrs. Girard gave him a funny look. "The dumpsters out back... don't you go looking out there, though! Those dumpsters aren't for playing in!"

"Right, right, just wondering - might help with an essay I'm writing," Natsu said quickly before shouldering his backpack and racing out the doors of the school.

Of course, the first thing he did was run back behind the school, completely unaware that he was being tailed by a certain blond-haired girl.

As soon as he caught sight of the dumpsters, Natsu dropped his backpack at his feet. "Get in the dumpster," he said uneasily. "Dig through it... find the teeny little piece of paper with Lucy's last name on it... r-right." He was suddenly feeling a lot less certain about this endeavor.

That was when a familiar voice contradicted him.

"Not going dumpster diving just to find out my last name, are you?"

Natsu froze. _"...Lucy?"_

He swiveled around to face her, eyes wide. She looked on, amused. "I could just tell you, you know," she said, and a smile lit up her face. "I don't know you're either, so it could be a trade-off!"

Natsu grinned a toothy grin. "Hey, great idea! Okay, you first."

"Yeah right," she scoffed. _"You_ first."

"But I - "

"Please, Natsu?"

Those big brown eyes... how was he supposed to say no, huh?! HOW?!

"Fine... my last name is Dragneel, there. And yours?" Natsu implored.

Lucy smiled even more brightly, leaning in and whispering for no one else to hear. _"Rabbit droppings."_

"H-hey!" Natsu spluttered, surprised, as she ran off. "Lucy - hey, come back! THAT'S NOT YOUR LAST NAME! HEY!"

He took off after her, without much hope of catching her.

Looks like he might just have to go dumpster diving after all.

... ... ...

 **Okay, longer than I expected I'd be able to crank out... anyway, gotta go, baaaiiiiii~!**

 **Gray: You better write another one of these... I want to see Natsu resort to dumpster diving. Heh. That idiot.**


	114. AU: Little Natsu and Lucy p4: Nightmares

**Hmmm. What should I write today?**

 **Wendy: Ooo, do something cute and fluffy!**

 **Mira: Hey, remember the Little Natsu and Lucy AU?**

 **Gray: You mean the one where I got only one mention and it was being called annoying?**

 **YOSH! OKAY, IT'S TIIIIIIMMMEEEE FOOOORRRRRRRRRR FLUUUFFFF~!**

 **Day One Hundred Fourteen**

 **Little Natsu and Lucy,** **Part Four**

 **Nightmares**

"D-Daddy, p-please!"

Natsu shot up in bed at the sound of Lucy's whimpers. Instantly realizing from whence they came, he slid out from under the covers and walked barefoot across the cold hardwood floor, being careful to tread lightly. All the younger children of Fairy Tail stayed in a special corridor behind the stairway to the second floor. This corridor was filled with bedrooms for homeless children who stumbled across the guild.

Natsu, of course, had begged to share a room with Lucy, and she had similarly implored the Master for a room with Natsu. Even though Makarov wouldn't typically approve of boys and girls sharing rooms, it was clear that Natsu and Lucy had created a special bond, so it was allowed.

Now, Natsu was glad for Makarov's kindness as he tiptoed warily across the floor toward Lucy's bed. Leaning forward, he shook her sleeping form gently. "Luce," he whispered. "Get up..."

"Daddy," she cried out, thrashing in bed. "D-Daddy, please, d-don't hurt me!" Natsu's eyes widened at that, and he momentarily paused in his attempts to rouse her. "Daddy, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, don't hurt me!"

Lucy continued to whimper, and Natsu found himself unable to move. Her father... he had _hurt_ her? Natsu's fists clenched in anger. _How?!_ How could anyone possibly want to hurt _Lucy?!_

Lucy thrashed some more, her arm flinging out and slapping Natsu. It was by no means intentional, but it snapped the young dragonslayer back into reality, and he immediately set to work trying to wake her once more.

"Lucy," he hissed, not taking as much care in being gentle as he had before. _"Wake up!"_ He shook her harder, and was beginning to wonder whether he should use his Fire Dragon's Roar on her, when her big brown eyes snapped open.

Lucy stared up at Natsu, eyes wide. Tears had left wet tracks on her cheeks, and her forehead glistened with sweat. "N-Natsu," she choked out, and after a moment of stunned silence in which they both stared wordlessly at one another, she threw herself forward to hug him.

"Natsu," Lucy sobbed. "N-Natsu... I miss my mommy..."

Natsu awkwardly hugged her back, though something tugged painfully at his heart when he felt her tears on his shoulder. "It's okay," he soothed. "It - it's okay to be sad."

"My daddy was mean to me," Lucy continued.

"I know," Natsu replied gently. "I know..." Though he felt that painful tugging sensation again at her words. "You'll be alright, Luce. You're in Fairy Tail now. And - and you're with me."

Lucy smiled at him then, falling back onto her pillow. She stretched her arms and yawned, curling up under the covers. "Yeah," she murmured, already halfway to dreamland once more. "Th-thanks Natsu... love you..."

Then she yawned again, and she was asleep.

... ... ...

 **NALU = ULTIMATE MOST FANGIRLABLE SHIP! SQUEEEEEEEE~!**

 **Mira: SO. ADORABLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEE~!**

 **Wendy: SOFLUFFYI'MGONNADIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE**

 **Gray: Okay... okay, I gotta admit it. THAT. WAS. FLUFFY.**

 **Also, by the way, nice guesses as to Nashi x Blue's ship name, but only bookworm got it right - and that's 'cause we had a conversation about it together. XD**

 **THE CORRECT ANSWER IIIIISSSSSSS... NaBlue! 'Cause it sounds like NaLu, see? Buncha you guessed NaLue or Blushi - both of which are AWESHUM - but I personally prefer NaBlue. X3**

 **Wendy: See you tomorrow! Byyyyyeeee!**


	115. Catch Me

**I am in SEVERE need of writing angst.**

 **Mira: NOOOOOO DON'T KILL ANYONE PLEEEAAAASE *starts sobbing uncontrollably***

 **Gray: ... 0-0**

 **Wendy: ... 0-0**

 **Mira: *beats fists on ground* NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

 **Day One Hundred Fifteen**

 **Catch Me**

Natsu could hardly move, hardly think, hardly feel. He had gone numb, and all he could hear at this point was the blood rushing in his head - that, and the scream, Lucy's scream, the one his mind was constantly replaying, over and over again, as if someone was pressing the rewind button on a remote.

 _"Lucy!"_

Some part of Natsu was vaguely aware that he was the one screaming her name, and his body set into motion. He was running now, running as fast as his legs could possibly carry him, then tripping over himself. His face hit the dirt and he rolled, choking and coughing on dust and rocks and grime.

He didn't stop, though. Pushing himself to his feet, Natsu just kept running, stumbling once or twice but not letting himself fall again.

He couldn't afford to waste a moment. Not one moment. She was falling, falling... and he knew, because of that little tugging in his heart that called him to her, that he needed to be the one to catch. That was his only though.

 _Catch her._

His body was on autopilot. He'd done this before. When she had jumped off that tower... trusting that he'd save her...

Now, however, she was unconscious, falling through a starry sky, having just saved them all from that clock thingamajigger.

And it was Natsu's turn to save her.

 _Catch me, Natsu._

He knew it wasn't her actually speaking to him. It couldn't be. But her voice dancing through his mind, whispering into the part of his heart that had long fallen for Lucy, was enough motivation. Roaring in triumph, Natsu put on a new burst of speed.

 _Catch me..._

He jumped.

And he caught her.

And then she was awake, blushing and smiling down at him, and everything was good and his back felt like it had nearly broken, but that was okay. Because she was okay.

"Caught ya," Natsu said, grinning up at her.

Lucy smiled, blushing an even deeper pink.

"I knew you would."

... ... ...

 **Just an elaboration on the Lucy-falling-star-Natsu-catches-her-infinity-clock scene. Heh.**

 **Wendy: Interesting name for it...**

 **Mira: HOORAAAAAAYYYYY! NO ONE DIED! ㈳3**

 **Gray: Y'know, that wasn't REALLY angst, Kit. That was actually TOTALLY fluff. ㈵3**

 **Wendy: Hmm, I guess you're right, Gray-san...**

 **Okay. *evil grin* I'll make up for it tomorrow, heheheh... ㈶1**

 **Mira: ㈷2 NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ㈸5**


	116. You Hear a Song

**WHOOOAAA!**

 **Over 1500 reviews! WHAAAAAAAAAAT?! Aw, that's not truuuue, someone hacked my review page...**

 **Gray: Somehow I doubt that.**

 **Mira: DAT IS A LOT OF REVIEWS.**

 **Wendy: Wow, lots of them were by NinjaWolf4. Thanks, NinjaWolf~~~!**

 **YES! THANK YOU! AH, SO BEAUTIFUL, SO MANY REVIEWWWWS!**

 **Day One Hundred Sixteen**

 **You Hear a Song**

Lucy stared at herself in the mirror for a few moments before groaning, sinking to her knees with her face in her hands.

"Oh my _Mavis,"_ she moaned. "I look awful..."

"What're you talking about, Luce? You look great!"

"I do nooootttt... wait..." Lucy's eyes narrowed as she spun around to face Natsu, who had apparently broken into her apartment yet again. "What are _you_ doing here?" she cried angrily. If it were anyone else, she may have cared a bit more about being seen looking like this... but then again, this was _Natsu,_ and Lucy was well aware that when it came to looks, he just plain didn't _care._ About his _or_ anyone else's.

Natsu shrugged. "I was bored."

"I'm not your entertainment committee - !"

 _"Listen,"_ the pink-haired dragonslayer interrupted, grasping Lucy by the shoulders. _"Listen_ to me, Luce. Don't _ever_ say you look terrible, okay? 'Cause you always look beautiful, seriously! You're just a beautiful person."

Lucy's eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to say something, but couldn't find the words. Natsu's simple speech had touched her.

"You should know that, anyway," Natsu scoffed. "I mean, I woulda thought you'd know you're pretty. How can you say you're not - are you blind?"

"Aye," came a familiar voice as a blue cat came floating in through the bathroom doorway, holding the contents of Lucy's refrigerator. _All_ of the contents. "Lucy's pretty. Even if she's fat."

Lucy's feelings of sentiment vanished in a flash at her teammates' crude comments. "Watch what you say, cat," she snarled, then rounded on Natsu and added, "You too, Mr. Dragonslayer!"

"Okay, okay," Natsu yelped, backing away. "Right... sorry..." He grinned sheepishly, blushing a little, and Lucy's heart felt like it was beating out of her chest. Since when did Natsu blush...? "Anyway, just wanted to tell you that you're pretty, whatever you think."

And then he took off out the open window with Happy.

Lucy stared at the open window, not sure what to think.

"This is _so_ a dream," she grumbled at last, cheeks burning bright red. "Since when does Natsu call me _pretty?"_

... ... ...

 **Mira: Hey, what happened to angst?**

 **Uh. I forgot?**

 **Gray: She's losing her touch...**

 **I!** **AM! NOT! *pulls out Imperial Gold pen* *scary calm voice* I am not afraid to use this, Gray. It's surprisingly sharp, you know.**

 **Wendy: Erm... s-see you tomorrow...?**

 **(By the way, this was inspired by the song "You Hear a Song" sung by Cassidy Pope. A beautiful song showing love in a simple, selfless light; I'd absolutely recommend it!)**


	117. At the Beach

**Mmmm. Sleepy.**

 **Mira: Oh dear.**

 **Gray: Well, better knock your chapter outta the way...**

 **Wendy: *eating a lollipop* ^.^**

 **ERMAGDRDRSHASDFGGHJKL WENDYYYYY! *fangirl screams* SO ADORABLE! WENDY! AND LOLLIPOP! AND WENDY! AND LOLLIPOP! IT'S THE CUTEEESSST~!**

 **Wendy: *eating lollipop* ... *sweatdrops slightly***

 **Day One Hundred Seventeen**

 **At the Beach**

As you can (probably) guess from my painfully unoriginal chapter title, this little tale begins at the beach. And considering this is supposed to be about Natsu and Lucy, because every chapter is supposed to be about Natsu and Lucy, you can also (probably) guess who will be at the beach.

Natsu and Lucy.

Right?

HA! GOTCHA! _WRONG!_

It's actually Wendy and Romeo...

"Catch me if you caaaannnn," Wendy taunted, skipping across the soft sand. She put her thumbs in her ears and waggled her fingers at the purple-haired boy chasing her.

"Agh!" said boy yelped, tripping over someone's half-finished sandcastle. Romeo balled his hands into fists, shouting, "I can _so_ catch you!"

Wendy giggled. "Nu-uh," she teased, turning and walking backwards as Romeo caught up. He lunged forward, attempting to tap her shoulder, but Wendy dodged expertly, sticking her tongue out playfully at him.

"Too slow!" she giggled, continuing to dodge his attempts at tagging her. Finally he slapped his hand down on top of her head.

"Gotcha," he proclaimed proudly.

"Ow," she complained. "Be more careful! That wasn't very nice!"

Romeo only laughed. "Aw, come on... you _know_ you're fine." To which Wendy laughed as well.

Meanwhile, out in the water...

Remember how I said Natsu and Lucy aren't at the beach? I lied; yes they are.

"Ha!" Natsu yelled, dousing Lucy with an enormous splash. "Gotcha!"

Lucy gave a little scream as she was knocked backwards by the small tsunami Natsu had just caused. "Hey!" she sputtered, coughing up salt water. "Drowning one's opponent is NOT allowed!"

"Oh, please..." Natsu rolled his eyes. "It would take a lot more than that to drown you, Luce. You've survived Aquarius, eh?"

Lucy scowled. "Oh, shut up." And she splashed him back.

Oh, but they're not the only people at the beach. Gajeel and Levy are there too...

"Gihihi." Gajeel grinned at Levy, a somewhat frightening sight to those who weren't used to it. "Ya look cute, Shrimp."

The solid script mage blushed. She was wearing a short, colorful sundress that hugged her form, along with a new pair of sandals and her usual orange headband. "Th-thanks," she stammered, not used to compliments from Gajeel - that is, none that weren't somehow backhanded.

"Too bad it's about to get wet," the iron dragonslayer finished, dipping a plastic bucket into a wave as it crashed at their feet. Levy was far less surprised when the contents of that bucket were dumped over herself and her new outfit.

It was definitely more fitting for his character, she mused silently as she shrieked at him and chased him down the beach.

There are plenty of other people at the beach. Juvia is there, currently finding still stranger methods of stalking Gray, confessing her love, proving why they are fated to be together, and accusing love rivals.

Gray is there, of course, attempting to escape. Master is there wishing his brats will shut up so he can relax. Gildarts is there, which is a shock, because Gildarts is NEVER there. Nab is there...

...well, who knows why Nab is there.

Max is there hugging his broom as he creates sandcastle after sandcastle with hardly more effort than a snap of his fingers. (You know, sand magic and all.) Laki is there chatting it up with a bunch of lovestruck guys who will soon be scarred for life. Erza is there disciplining Natsu... erm... all that blood in the water might attract some sharks...

Warren is there listening in to the thoughts of random people. Especially girls. Telepathy has serious benefits, you know. I'm here, of course, stalking from afar and writing stuff. And... oh, look! There's Aquarius! Hi, Aquarius!

...On second thought, maybe I won't stay here any longer. Are those screams I hear in the distance?

... ... ...

 **LOTS OF SHIPS! And lots of beachy stuff.**

 **Wendy: *still eating lollipop***

 **Mira: SQUEEEEEEEEEEE**

 **Gray: Ugh, you too?**

 **SO CUUUUUUUTE~! Well, see you tomorrow, wonderful readers! Bye-bye!**


	118. I Hold On

**So I've been forgetting about my promise for angst. Here it comes, guys!**

 **Day One Hundred Eighteen**

 **I Hold On**

Natsu knew how to hold on.

He had lost enough in his life that he had become sort of clingy. His guildmates, though - they understood. They knew.

First it had been, well, everything. Natsu had pretty much nothing. No memories, no family, no past. He had only himself, wandering helplessly through the wilderness, desperately searching for something. For someone. So he would not be alone.

He found Igneel - well, it was more like Igneel found _him_ \- and Natsu was immediately attached to the fire dragon. Their relationship quickly became more akin to father and son than anything.

And then what? Then Igneel left, and that was it. The only family Natsu could ever remember, gone. It was like a part of himself had been ripped away.

He found Fairy Tail, his new family, and became a close friend to Lisanna. Then what? She _dies._ One of his best friends, _dead._

After Lisanna's death, Natsu detached himself. His only focus was finding Igneel again - that, and getting stronger. He was almost afraid to become close to any more of his guildmates. He didn't want to face any more pain if he lost them, like with Lisanna and Igneel.

And then he found a light to his darkness.

Lucy.

Suddenly, his life seemed to have more meaning. Natsu didn't know what it was, but there was just _something_ about her that struck a chord in his heart. Something so very _Lucy._

And then he nearly lost her too...

Seeing her there, dead, unmoving, cold, never to smile again - it nearly pushed Natsu over the edge. For the first time in a long time, he cried. He really cried.

Because with Lucy, there was just this _something._ This _spark._ She was just different, and she meant so much to him.

He was terrified of losing her ever again, of losing _his_ Lucy.

Completely terrified.

* * *

 _Why wasn't she here?_

Clutching the gaping wound in his side with one hand, Natsu stumbled through the remains of Magnolia, breathing heavily.

Lucy wasn't there. She wasn't anywhere.

"Lucy," he called weakly. _"Lucy!"_

But he received no response.

* * *

"Natsu..."

Her voice was barely a whisper. She could practically feel the life escaping her body. She knew she was pretty much done for.

And yet...

For a brief moment, she was certain she heard his voice.

But that couldn't have been...

* * *

Her apartment. There it was. _Oh Mavis, Lucy, please be in there..._

 _Please be alive._

"Luce?" he called, slipping inside through the window. The walls and floorboards were riddled with holes from enormous explosions. Natsu saw reddish-brown splatters on the walls, but refused to think about anything but Lucy.

Lucy, whom he knew must be alive.

Lucy, whom he knew had to be alright.

Lucy, with whom Natsu was in love.

 _"Lucy!"_ Natsu called again, more urgently, wincing as pain lanced once more through his body. His wound not only slowed him down, it hurt like _hell._

But he could have cared less about his wound.

"Lucy," Natsu called out, stumbling through a pile of rubble. He could feel tears building in his eyes. _"LUCY!"_

And then came a response.

Feeble, but it was there...

"Natsu," a ragged voice gasped. "N-Natsu..."

And there she was.

Natsu would not look at her body and the horrible gashes that had mauled her. He would not look at the blood soaking her clothing. No, Natsu had eyes only for her face. He dropped to his knees beside her limp form, eyes wide.

"L-Lucy," Natsu choked out, hot tears threatening to spill over as he pressed the back of his hand to her pale face. "Mavis, Luce. You - I-I thought you were _dead.."_

Her lower lip trembled, but she smiled anyway. "Thought I couldn't... handle myself?" She struggled to say.

Natsu grinned weakly back. "Well, naw, th-that ain't what I meant, Lucy." Their eyes locked. "Never should've doubted ya." A few stray tears trickled down his cheeks, but he hastily wiped them away.

"Good," she whispered, and her fingers found his, lacing their hands together. "Hey... N-Natsu..."

He rubbed his thumb over her fingers absently. "Yeah, Luce?"

"D-do me... a favor, 'kay?"

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Anything."

Her mouth opened slightly, and she smiled, brown tearful eyes becoming glassy. "Don't... let... go..."

* * *

Those were the last words she spoke.

* * *

Natsu's hands began to tremble.

 _She was gone._

One single, choked whimper escaped him, and he leaned forward over her motionless body. "Luce," he whispered. No response came, and it hit Natsu all at once that no response would ever come from her again.

 _She was completely gone._

That simple fact was just then too much for Natsu, and he began to sob, shoulders shaking uncontrollably as he yelled Lucy's name again and again.

 _She was never going to answer him again..._

But even through all of this... even when Gray stumbled upon them, barely alive; even when Charle struggled in carrying a limp, unconscious Wendy; even when Erza entered holding an unmoving, lifeless Happy; Natsu honored Lucy's wish.

His hand held tightly to hers.

And even though he knew she was gone, still he held on.

* * *

 **Mira: WHYYYYYYYYYYY-**

 **Gray: Well crap.**

 **Wendy: Oh no! Did I die?!**

 **Well, Happy did, at least. And Lucy...**

 **Wendy: NOOOOOOO!**

 **Also, minor inspiration for this one-shot: "I Hold On" by Dierks Bentley. They don't play it as much on the radio as they used to. :( Wouldn't it be nice if they just quit overplaying the new stuff and mixed it up with slightly older stuff a bit more?!**

 **Anyway, see ya tomorrow!**


	119. Hold Me Together

**I have no inspiration.**

 **Mira: Nor do I.**

 **Wendy: Nor do I.**

 **Gray: Nor do I.**

 **Nor do I!**

 **Mira: *sigh* And nor do I.**

 **Day One Hundred Nineteen**

 **Hold Me Together**

Lucy was falling apart. She was coming undone, hugging herself, sobbing, trying not to lose everything. Trying to hold it all in.

Ever since she was younger, it had been something she had mastered. Lock the feelings away, deep deep down. Lock away the memories. Strap it all in and try to cover up and hold herself together. She could do it, and she could do it well.

No one knew of her father's neglect. No one knew just _how_ badly her mother's death had hurt her. No one knew and no on ever would.

Then Lucy came to Fairy Tail, and she learned something else entirely: how to use her feelings. How to channel them and turn them into something else, into something better. She learned how to talk about her feelings.

She learned to be a real person, not just Lucky Lucy Heartfilia. Well, _Lonely_ Lucy Heartfilia was more like it.

But she wasn't lonely anymore. She had Fairy Tail. She had Natsu...

That is, until she didn't anymore.

"Natsu," Lucy sobbed, holding herself, shaking her head, trying to shake away the last memory she had of him.

A scream.

Then a choked gasp.

Then blank, glassy eyes, and _nothing._

He had fallen, limp, into the pit below. Happy, in a desperate attempt to save the pink-haired boy, flew down after.

Could Happy save him? Was there even anything left of him to save?

Lucy knew of the horrors in that pit, including the monstrous thing they had just defeated and tossed back down. Whatever else was down there... well, a lone, unconscious dragonslayer would be easy prey.

Lucy shuddered at the images that thought put into her head. Oh, Mavis, no. He _had_ to be okay.

She continued to sob and shudder, hugging herself and trying so desperately to hold herself together.

 _Lucy..._

Lucy's eyes widened. For a moment, she was sure she heard his voice.

 _I'm comin', Luce..._

"Natsu?" Lucy whispered.

That was when Happy burst out of the pit, holding Natsu. Breathing ragged, one eye swollen shut, covered in gashes and wounds, and barely half alive, but it was _Natsu,_ and he was _here,_ and he was still _breathing._

"Luce!"

"N-Natsu!"

And he was there to hold her together.

... ... ...

 **Yay!**

 **Mira: There you go, readers, a bit of flangst to sustain you till tomorrow. :3**

 **Wendy: Bye-bye!**


	120. The Disaster

**What should I write to-daaayyy?**

 **Mira: Hmm.**

 **Gray: How about angst or fluff?**

 **Mira: *smacks*** ** _Not helping!_** **That's ALL she writes almost ALL the time!**

 **Hey! Not true!**

 **Wendy: Well... there's crack... :3**

 **Day One Hundred Twenty**

 **The Ultimate Disaster**

It was coming.

They all knew it was coming...

"What's coming?" Lucy asked, confused and a bit irritated, as Natsu and Happy cowered in fear in her bed.

"The _disaster!"_ Happy wailed.

"Disaster?" Lucy repeated uncertainly. She was admittedly a bit worried at this point... it did not help matters much when Gray came tearing through the door.

"It's coming!" the ice mage yelled, and Lucy's eyes practically bugged out of her head when he was followed by a terrified-looking Erza.

"What on earth is so terrifying that it makes even _Erza_ afraid?" she cried.

 _"It,"_ a soft voice whispered by Lucy's side. The blond turned to see Wendy shaking and clutching her arm. _"It_ is the most disastrous thing that could ever befall us."

It was now safe to say that Lucy was completely freaked out. Not just by the fact that this "it" was scaring everyone so badly, but that they were all for some reason taking refuge in her apartment. Seriously! Why her?!

"Lu-chan!" Levy sobbed, rushing toward her friend with arms wide. "Thank goodness you're okay!"

"Of course I'm okay, Levy-chan," Lucy responded, flabbergasted, though she returned the embrace. "Nothing's even happened!"

"And thank Mavis for that," Laxus added, crossing his arms. "We were worried it would get here before we could reach you."

"Laxus?!" Lucy yelped in shock, leaping away from him. "Oooookay, guys, come on... tell me what's going on!"

"It's too awful," Natsu whispered, shaking his head. His face was pale white. "Luce, it's _awful."_

"Wh-what?" Lucy stammered, eyes wide.

"It's coming." He looked away, fists clenching. "And there's... there's nothing we can do to stop it, Lucy."

Lucy shook her head. "There's... no way," she argued weakly. "Fairy Tail can beat anything..."

Natsu looked back into her eyes then, and the expression on his face was dark and stormy, so much that it shocked her.

"Not this."

They both held each other's gaze for a long moment. Everyone around them was silent.

"N-Natsu..." Lucy breathed, tears coming to her eyes, as she leaned forward. Natsu gently held her in his arms. Murmurs started up again, people muttering about how they couldn't beat this, it was too much.

"We have to defeat this," Lucy said suddenly, pulling away from Natsu and standing strong once more. "We can _do_ this, Fairy Tail!"

...for a moment, crickets chirped in the distance...

And then everyone in Lucy's apartment began to laugh.

"Oh, Lucy," Happy chortled. "We got you good!"

"Wh-what?" Lucy choked out disbelievingly. "What's going on?"

"Aw, c'mon, Luce," Natsu snickered. "There's no silly disaster! It was all a _joke!"_

... ... ...

 **Thank you, Wendy for your lovely suggestion.**

 **Wendy: Of course! ^.^**


	121. Pinch Me, I'm Dreaming

**Hai~ How's life, guys?**

 **Mira: Life is good. ^.^**

 **Day One Hundred Twenty-One**

 **Pinch Me, I'm Dreaming**

Well, he had to cheer her up somehow. She had just learned that her father died waiting for her to come home, and they had all just learned that they had been supposedly dead for seven years...

It was a hard blow.

But Lucy... well, Lucy probably took it hardest, and that was easy for Natsu to see.

So what to do now? Well, cheer her up, of course.

"Surprise!" Natsu cried, grinning, as he and Happy leaped out from their hiding places in her apartment. Confetti fell from the ceiling, balloons were tied to every piece of furniture in the room, streamers and a banner hung from the walls.

"Natsu," Lucy gasped in shock. "Wh-what - "

"I had Mira bake you a cake, too!" the pink-haired boy added cheerfully.

"R-Really?" Lucy said, eyes wide. "You mean you - you did all of this - for - for me?"

He shrugged. "Well, I figured you needed some cheering up."

"Aye!" Happy agreed.

Lucy smiled, eyes watering. "Thank you," she said sincerely, stepping forward to hug Natsu. "Thank you so much..."

She stepped back, glanced around the room once more.

"Hey, Natsu?"

"Yeah, Luce?"

"...Pinch me. I think I'm dreaming."


	122. Filing Papers

***cringes* Sorry 'bout yesterday's and the day before's being late...**

 **Mira: *pats back* We forgive you.**

 **Gray: Suuuure. Yeeeaaah. We tooootally forgive you for NEGLECTING YOUR CHALLENGE and forgetting your LOYAL READERS AND REVIEWERS...**

 **I'M SORRYYYYYYYYYY! *sobs* I'M SORRY! I'M SO SORRY! I'LL TRY HARDER NEXT TIME I PROMISE! WAAAHHH!**

 **Wendy: Ermm... should we start the chapter...?**

 **Day One Hundred Twenty-Two**

 **Filing Papers**

It was Lucy's turn to pick the job, and naturally, that meant it was _the most boring job in the world_ by Natsu and Happy's standards.

"Why would they wanna hire wizards to file some dumb papers for them?" Natsu complained as he and Happy moseyed along behind Lucy.

"I don't know," she snapped in response. "But guess what? We accepted the job! And now they're expecting us! And if you don't want to come along, I can manage _just fine_ on my own, so why don't you just _go home!"_

"But Luce, I wanna do the job with you," Natsu moped.

"You _just said - "_

"I meant I didn't like the _job,"_ Natsu corrected. "But I do wanna spend time with you."

That made Lucy blush. "W-well," she stammered. "Th-thank you... um... anyway, we'll be there soon." Her feet were sore, so she was glad for this - the blond had figured, if she was going to drag him along on a job he didn't want to do, she could at least let him have his way of transportation...

Which of course meant no transportation. They had walked all of thirty miles to get here - except Happy, of course, the lucky cat.

What Lucy would give to have been born with wings...

* * *

"Luce, I'm bored."

"I'm not your entertainment committee..."

"What's a cowmitty?"

"Ugh, forget it."

It was rather difficult for Lucy to make much - if any - progress filing the client's dumb papers because of how Natsu was distracting her. Happy was, for once, actually being a bit useful, dropping off the unneeded papers in the recycling bin when Lucy asked.

Natsu, however, was being a bother and nothing else.

"We don't even get to use magic on this job," Natsu whined. "Can't I just - "

 _"Don't you dare,"_ Lucy replied darkly. "You are _not_ about to burn this place to the ground, do you hear me?"

"Fine," Natsu grumbled.

Then, after a few moments of silence...

"Oooh, look at this!" Natsu cried excitedly, holding up a rather cool-looking drawing he'd found. However, when he stood up to show it to Lucy, he mistakenly knocked over a potted plant, which in turn hit a bookshelf, causing several books and binders full of paper to topple off and scatter all over the place. The air was filled with flying paper. Natsu stumbled backward in surprise, crashing onto the desk Lucy was working at, knocking it - and Lucy - to the ground.

This in turn caused another chain of unfortunate and clumsy happenings that ended with the office being a horrible mess, and Natsu and Lucy being trapped - in rather close proximity - underneath a bookshelf and the desk.

"N-Natsu!" Lucy yelped, startled.

"Luce," he breathed, eyes wide. After a moment, he chuckled weakly. "Err... sorry?"

Lucy might have gotten mad, but she happened to be in a very awkward position, and found herself to embarrassed to do much more than blush and look away. A few quiet snores and unintelligible mumbling made it clear that Happy had apparently decided to take a nap and somehow _not_ woken to the sound of the entire room turning practically upside down.

"So," Natsu said awkwardly.

"So," Lucy repeated, just as awkwardly.

"You... look really nice," he said nervously.

"Wh-what?" Lucy was taken aback.

"I just, er, noticed."

"Oh."

There was another awkward pause.

"Thanks," Lucy added.

Another pause.

Then...

Natsu swooped down and, unexpectedly, covered Lucy's lips with his. She gave a muffled squeak of surprise, but it was cut off when she realized, that felt good. She hardly had time to decide what to do before Natsu pulled back.

"Sorry," the pink-haired boy apologized, though he didn't sound at all sorry. "I just..."

"Oh, come here, you," Lucy replied, grabbing his head and pressing her lips against hers once more.

And while that afternoon's events may have involved quite a lot of things, there certainly wasn't any more filing papers to be done.

* * *

 **So, yup. Kissing and filing papers. Again, while I don't want to sound like Aries... I really am sorry, guys... hope you liked this.**


	123. Little Natsu and Lucy: Learning to Count

**XD Guys! Today is day 123! And in my docs, it says "1095 days 0123" because of how I organize my chapters by name!**

 **Wendy: So what will you write about?**

 **Mira: Something to do with counting!**

 **Gray: How about Natsu being unable to count? That, I'd be interested in.**

 **Wendy: I'm sure Natsu-san can count! ...right, Mira-san...?**

 **Mira: *sweats* Erm... probably.**

 **Day One Hundred Twenty-Three**

 **Little Natsu and Lucy, Part Five:**

 **Learning to Count**

"Luce, how much are we s'posed to get for this job?"

Lucy peered at the job paper. She and Natsu had taken a job on their own for the first time, and it was exciting for both of them. It was a small job, of course; it was in Magnolia and it would only take an hour or two, but it was their _first job._ And that meant it was very special indeed.

"Uhm... twenty thousand jewel!" Lucy stated proudly.

"...How much is that?"

Lucy frowned at Natsu. "Well... I dunno... it's twenty thousand jewel, I guess."

"Is that a lot?" Natsu pressed, and Lucy's frowned deepened.

"Well, kinda. Don't you know that?"

He stared blankly back at her.

"...Natsu... do you know how to count?" She really hoped he did - he was almost nine, after all! - but after watching Erza spend days teaching him to read, Lucy wouldn't be surprised if he said...

"Huh?"

"I asked if you knew how to count," Lucy repeated, exasperated.

"Erm... no?"

... ... ...

"Okay, sit down," Lucy ordered once they were back in their bedroom. Natsu sat on his bed, and Lucy dragged an easel out from the closet.

"Where did you get that?" Natsu piped up.

"It doesn't matter."

She held up a pointer stick, tapping the easel, which read _1, 2, 3._

"Where did you get that?" Natsu asked now, looking curiously at the pointer stick.

"That doesn't matter either! Now, listen. These are called numbers..."

... ... ...

About an hour later, Lucy groaned and flopped onto her own bed. "I can't do it," she whined. "Natsu, go get Erza! Erza will teach you." Yes, surely Erza could manage it.

"Noooooooo!" Natsu cried, getting down on his knees and begging. _"Please not Erza!_ You can teach me to count, Lucy! I promise I'll pay more attention and not burn your dress and not burn the easel and not burn the paper and not burn the pencil and not burn the - "

 _"Fine!"_

... ... ...

About two more hours later, Lucy was even more exhausted, but at least Natsu now knew how to count to ten.

He still had no idea how money worked, but Lucy was not about to get into THAT lesson. Not now. Not after three hours of counting to ten.

"Did I do okay, Lucy?" Natsu asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah," she mumbled. "You did fine..."

And she promptly fell asleep.

That was okay, though, Natsu decided. She was cute when she was asleep.

... ... ...

 **There ya go! By the way, guys, according to official stuff in the mangas, the way Fairy Tail money works, 1 jewel = 1 cent. So 2,000 jewel = 20 bucks.**

 **Just thought I'd clear that up~!**

 **Gray: *snorts* HA! Almost nine years old and can't count... typical Flame Brains.**

 **Mira: That's not nice!**

 **Gray: It's true, though, isn't it?**

 **Mira: ...**

 **Wendy: Well, see you tomorrow, readers~!**


	124. Facebook Insanity, PART FIVE: Asterisks

**I need to write somethiiiiinnnngggggg... but what?! WHAT?!**

 **Mira: Do Facebook again!**

 **Gray: Ooh, yeah.**

 **Wendy: Oh! Yeah! I remember the Facebook! Do that!**

 **Day One Hundred Twenty-Four**

 **Facebook Insanity, PART FIVE:**

 **Asterisks**

Natsu grinned as he scrolled through his friends' pages on Facebook. But just as he went to go update his own status, something odd happened...

"IT'S A STAR!" Happy shrieked from over Natsu's shoulder.

"OH MY GOSH IT'S A STAR!" Natsu yelled in return, before furiously typing for a good sixty seconds and posting his new status.

* * *

 **Natsu Dragneel: *.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*. *.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*. *.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*. *.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*. STAAAARRSSSSS**

 **Happy is a Cat likes this.**

 **Comments:**

 **Happy is a Cat: STAAAARRRRSSSS!**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: Umm...**

 **Levy McGarden: They're called asterisks, you know.**

 **Natsu Dragneel: SO MANY STARS! I didn't know that button existed! LUCY, WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: Why is it MY job to tell you?**

 **Natsu Dragneel: 'Cause you're special.**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: U-um... well... th-thank you...**

 **Mirajane Strauss: ERMAGERSH LUCY! NATSU THINKS YOU'RE SPECIAL!**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: That's not what he meant!**

 **Levy McGarden: Oh? *waggles eyebrows* I dunno about that.**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: AAARRGGGGHHHH! YOU GUYS! I JUST CAN'T!**

* * *

Lucy soon found herself to be repeatedly slamming her head down on her desk. This... was not exactly good for her health...

But Lucy didn't much care; she was too frustrated.

And in her position, who wouldn't be? After all, her guildmates were now _that_ much closer to discovering her kind-of-secret crush on Natsu...

* * *

 **Lucy Heartfilia: My guildmates are impossible.**

 **Erza Scarlet, Makarov Dreyar, and a googol others like this.**

 **Comments:**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: A googol?! Don't they mean Google?!**

 **Levy McGarden: No, "googol" is the correct spelling of the number 1 followed by 100 zeroes.**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: 0-0 It seems A LOT people agree that Fairy Tail is impossible...**

 **Levy McGarden: No, that had to be a glitch. I'm not sure that many people are alive in the world today.**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: *sweatdrops* Oooooookay then...**

 **Levy McGarden: Sooooo how are things with you and Natsu? Hehehe.**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: ARGH!**

 **Natsu Dragneel: *.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*. *.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*. STAAAARRRRSSSS!**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: NO!**

* * *

...yeaaahhh, Lucy was fairly certain she was going to concuss herself. I'm pretty certain of it, too. You can hear those bangs from all the way across the street. And trust me, I'd know.

 **... ... ...**

 **Mira: Er, well then. That was - WAIT A SECOND SHE ADMITTED SHE HAS A CRUSH ON NATSU! *screams***

 **Aaannnnndd this is where the chapter ends, folks.**


	125. The Beauty Contest

**Guess what guys? I get to sleep in tomorrow! And that means I could, theoretically, stay awake until 6 am and sleep until 3 pm!**

 **(...Which I have done before.)**

 **(...Multiple times.)**

 **Wendy: Oh my. 0-0**

 **Mira: Erm... you don't plan on doing that** ** _tonight,_** **do you?**

 **Pssshhhhh, of course I do, Mira! Get with it!**

 **Gray: ...oooookay theeennnn...**

 **Day One Hundred Twenty-Five**

 **The Beauty Contest**

Natsu was absolutely certain of one thing: Lucy was not about to participate in that beauty contest. Not if he had any say in it.

"Luce!" he protested. "You don't need some dumb beauty contest. It's stupid, why even participate?"

"Well, because it's fun," Lucy argued. "I _want_ to do it!"

"I don't see what's so fun about standing up on a stage to be stared at," the pink-haired boy grumbled.

"How about this, then?" Lucy responded sharply. "Winning would get me a lot of money, and that's money I'll need to pay my rent!"

"So go on jobs," he countered.

"You destroy so much, I hardly ever make much money from jobs," she accused.

"Still, how do you know you'd even win?!"

"Well, it's worth a shot, okay?"

"I just don't get it!" Natsu growled. "Who cares if a random beauty contest judge calls you beautiful? It's not like it makes any difference in your life."

"Well, _of course_ you don't get it," Lucy spat, rolling her eyes. "Girls like to be called beautiful, you know. But you're too much of a dense, stupid _idiot_ to know that."

For a moment, silence hung thick in the air, and Lucy very nearly regretted her words.

Natsu's fists clenched. "An idiot, huh?" he asked, his tone dangerously low.

"Yeah," Lucy shot back, her voice cracking just a little. "You don't know anything! You don't care about other people's feelings, and you're too dumb to even _realize_ my feelings! All you care about is yourself - and food - and getting stronger! There's no room in your stupid, selfish heart for anything else!"

Lucy knew, the moment each word tumbled out of her mouth, that she was making false accusations. But she didn't care. She was angry. Natsu did not care about her, did not reciprocate her feelings, and never would, all because he couldn't just _grow up_ for once.

"That's not true," he hissed. "I-I care about people! I care about Happy!"

"Oh, right," Lucy replied, her tone scathing. "Your cat. Anyone else, huh?"

"Erza," Natsu continued. "Lisanna! That ice freak! I care about my family!"

"Y-yeah?" Lucy tried, she really tried, to steady her voice. "You care about all of them. That's good to know. Great, wonderful to know that I really am freaking alone in the world. My mom's dead, my dad's dead, and you. Don't. Freaking. Care."

Natsu's eyes widened at that. "Luce, what - that's not what I meant!"

"Yeah, sure," she snapped. "You just meant that I didn't make it onto your Top 10 list of people you care about. Well, that's all fine and dandy, you know? Why don't I go and enter that beauty contest and for once be _appreciated!"_

Man, that stung... Natsu flinched. "Lucy, I - listen, you don't need some stupid beauty contest to tell you you're beautiful! You just _are,_ didn't you know that?"

Now, that made Lucy pause.

"You're the most beautiful girl I know," Natsu continued. "I thought you had already figured that out. You look good in anything. You'd look good in a sack, actually. You're a wonderful person, and you don't need to be standing up on a stage, with random guys eyeing you up, for you to know that."

Lucy stared for a long moment, before smiling brightly, tears in her big brown eyes.

"Thank you, Natsu," she whispered. "Thank you so much... that means the world to me, it really does."

 _Natsu thought she was beautiful..._

And suddenly, Lucy didn't even want to enter the contest anymore.


	126. Delirious

**I. HAS. HEADACHE.**

 **Mira: Erm, you probably shouldn't be staring at a screen then...**

 **NO! I must write...**

 **Day One Hundred Twenty-Six**

 **Delirious**

The moment she was hit by that spell, everything became foggy.

Pain tore through her body. She was thrown to the ground, where she lay motionless, gasping for air. Why couldn't she breathe right? Was she going to die? What had even happened...?

After the initial pain, though, Lucy found she stopped feeling much of anything.

Everything just became this muddled mess of mumbo-jumbo. She felt like she was underwater, and everything she heard was distorted. All she could see was a myriad of color.

Shouting... Natsu was shouting something... was that her name? Lucy couldn't really tell. She felt gentle, strong arms lifting her.

 _No._

That was wrong.

The moment he lifted her, the pain spiked, and she let out a scream.

"I'm sorry, Luce... need to get... back... the guild..."

She could only make out fragments of his speech, but that was alright. It wasn't like she could understand any of it anyway.

"Nnnnnn..."

Her attempts to speak were fruitless; her tongue felt too heavy, and besides, Natsu wanted her to stay quiet. He tried to silence her with his lips over hers.

Mmm. That felt good.

"Shhhhh, Luce... shouldn't try... talk..."

Lucy smiled.

So he really cared about her...

... ... ...

"Nnnnnatsu...?"

He sat bolt upright. "Lucy!" Natsu cried, rushing to her side. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Um... like... I've been hit by... a train."

"Yikes. No wonder."

"Five trains..." She yawned. "Or six." He laughed at this.

"Oh Mavis, Luce. I'm so glad you're okay." He grinned.

"What happened?" Lucy inquired.

"Oh, ah..." Natsu seemed to get embarrased. "You got hit... and, er.. you were kinda delirious for awhile..."

"That explains why I don't remember anything," she concluded. Then she looked over at Natsu, who was gazing at her with a strange expression on his face. "What?" Lucy's eyes narrowed. "Natsu... did something... _happen?"_

"N-no!" Natsu said far too quickly, but Lucy was stil l a bit woozy and didn't notice. "Nothing at all."

 _If you don't count the kiss_ , he finished silently.

Oh well.

She never had to know, after all.

... ... ...

 **UUUUGGGHHHHH. My. Head. Frigging. Hurts.**

 **Wendy: Maybe you should get some sleep...**

 **Mira: And drink water!**

 **I wanna cry right now... IT HURTS...**

 **Gray: *pats back awkwardly* See ya tomorrow, readers...?**


	127. All I'm Thankful For

**Happy Thanksgiving, guys! Well, in America, at least. I'm gonna write a one-shot in honor of ALL Thanksgivings. :3**

 **Mira: *putting makeup on Gray* Hold on...**

 **Wendy: *putting feathers on Gray* Just a minute. We're busy with Gray-san! ^.^**

 **Mira: Okaayy... aaannnd... DONE!**

 **ERMAGERSH HE'S A TURKEY!**

 **Gray: *dressed as a giant turkey* ... *is incredibly unamused***

 **Day One Hundred Twenty-Seven**

 **All I'm Thankful For**

It was Thanksgiving Day, decidedly one of the best days of the year. What wasn't to like? You could gather with family, there was food, you got time off school and work, there was food, you really thought about all you were thankful for, there was food, Fairy Tail had an excuse to party, there was food...

"Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed. "You do know there's more to Thanksgiving than food, right?"

"Well duh," Natsu said, rolling his eyes. "There's a party!"

"Ugh... Natsu, do you even know the _meaning_ of Thanksgiving?"

"Of course, I do, Luce," the pink-haired boy insisted. "Really. It's about being thankful for all the stuff you've got."

"Mhmm," Lucy agreed. "What are you thankful for, anyway?"

Natsu grinned. "Well... Fairy Tail, obviously. And my magic, and that Igneel taught me. I'm thankful for everyone that helps me get stronger... I'm thankful for Happy. I'm thankful for food." That made Lucy smile and roll her eyes. "And... well, of course I'm thankful for you, Luce!"

Caught off guard, Lucy blushed. "M-me?" she responded, a bit startled. "What do you mean?"

The dragonslayer shrugged. "Well, you're a great job partner, and you're fun to be around, and..." He smiled slightly. "Well, y'know, you really care about me."

She stared for a moment before her face broke into a warm smile.

"Thanks, Natsu," she replied, taking his hand. "Just so you know, I'm thankful for you, too."

... ... ...

Once they had arrived at the guild, it was clear to see that the party was in full swing. Levy and Lisanna were helping Mira in the kitchen, Elfman and Gray were hauling in ingredients, and Juvia and Erza were setting the table with Wendy and Charle's help, while virtually everyone else was either brawling or... well, no one was drinking yet, seeing as Mira wouldn't let them so much as _touch_ the alcohol until after everyone had eaten.

That was why Cana was slumped on the ground whining, Lucy assumed.

"We're here!" she announced cheerfully. She got a wave from Levy and a perky "Hello" from Wendy, and Mira offered her a taste-test of the sweet potato casserole.

Natsu, naturally, went off to join the brawl. Happy headed over to try and impress Charle (he was almost successful) while Lucy joined Mirajane in the kitchen.

"Mmm, this all smells amazing," Lucy sighed. Her nose wrinkled as her gaze traveled to the trash can. "Th-though I don't want to ask what's making the smell coming from _there."_

Lisanna grimaced. "And we don't want to answer."

Levy laughed, while Mira called for Elfman. "Elf-kun? Gray? Can you get the trash?"

This was responded to by a series of groans and crashes, making all the girls wince. "Clumsy, aren't they?" Lucy commented.

"Sure, but strong too," Lisanna pointed out. "Although Elf-nii-chan's bulk doesn't help his clumsiness."

Levy smirked as she flipped a few pages in the cookbook. "No kidding... hey, Lu-chan, can you get out the eggs?"

... ... ...

"It's done!" Mirajane announced excitedly, pulling the last turkey out of the oven. "That's it, then! Everything's finished."

"Yay!" Lisanna cheered, just as Wendy popped in from outside the kitchen.

"The table's set," the little blue-haired girl said with a shy smile. "All of the places, and all of the extra chairs and everything."

"It took a little longer than usual," Charle commented. "The boys went a little overboard with their brawling."

"So that was why there was such a huge crash," Lucy realized. "And it definitely explains all that yelling from Erza."

Wendy smiled slightly. "Is the food done?" she asked.

"You bet," Levy confirmed.

"I'll go call everyone to the table," Mira decided, handing the platter with the turkey over to Lucy. "Here. Will you carry this out?"

"Sure," Lucy agreed, hastily getting a good grip on the dish. She _definitely_ did not want to drop this.

"Everyone wash up! The food's ready!" Mirajane called sweetly out the kitchen door. Lucy had the brief thought that she would have to be louder than that, but to her surprise, everyone went quiet for a moment before cheering and stampeding for the sink to wash up.

"The thought of Mira's Thanksgiving turkey - well, all of her turkeys - is enough to make anyone listen," Levy said, laughing.

And by "all of her turkeys," Levy meant fifteen and a half, because that was exactly how many they'd made.

... ... ...

 _Dear God,_

 _Thank you for our family._

 _Thank you for the time we have together._

 _Thank you for every blessing we've been given..._

"Amen," the guild chorused.

... ... ...

"Why is there a half a turkey here?" Evergreen said, poking it with her fork.

"Erm," Levy replied awkwardly. "Well..."

"It just looked so good!" Lisanna insisted.

"Yeah," Lucy agreed. "How were we supposed to resist?!"

... ... ...

"Pass the cranberry sauce!" Natsu cried excitedly, standing up and lunging forward. He knocked over Jet, Droy, Levy, and Gajeel's plates, along with an entire pitcher of lemonade and several forks and knives...

"Natsu!" Lucy cried.

"Oh, sorry," he said, eyes widening. "I should have said please..."

... ... ...

"This is _so_ good," Gray complimented, but it came out sounding more like "thuishihdjfhaeibfogwood" because of all the turkey and stuffing in his mouth.

"Gray! Manners!" Mira scolded, and he apologized sheepishly after swallowing.

"He's right, though," Natsu added, grinning. "This is awesome! Even better than last year!"

Lucy laughed. "Mira sure is an amazing cook."

"Hey, you helped," Mira added. "And Levy and Lisanna."

"True," Lucy replied, smiling. "Still, thank you for doing all you did."

... ... ...

Lucy did not like to recall her previous Thanksgivings.

She couldn't remember much from before her mom died, but she did have vivid recollections of sitting, alone, at the enormous dining table. She had learned by now not to bother him when he was "busy." She didn't know what he was busy doing and didn't want to know. She didn't care about his work any more than he cared about her...

Lucy shook the memory from her head. That was over with now. She was with the guild. With her family.

 _With Natsu._

... ... ...

"Hey, Luce?"

"Yeah, Natsu?"

He grinned at her. "Today was awesome, huh?"

She smiled. "It sure was."

He took her hand in his, swinging their arms together as they walked back to her apartment. "I love Thanksgiving..."

"Not just 'cause of the food?" Lucy asked playfully, shoving his shoulder.

"Naw," the pink-haired boy said, shaking his head. "It's more than that. It kinda reminds me to think of all I'm thankful for. So I never take it for granted..."

His eyes darkened for a brief moment, and Lucy knew right away what he was thinking of.

"Hey," she said softly, reaching out and placing a hand on his cheek. "Fairy Tail is fine. I'm fine. You're not losing anyone, anytime soon."

He nodded. "I just... I-I can't forget. I almost _lost_ you, Luce. I _did_ lose you."

"But never again," she promised, smiling gently.

"Never again," he agreed.

"It was a great day today, though," she added cheerfully, clearly trying to redirect the conversation - not that Natsu was complaining. He broke out into a huge grin. "Perfect day to remember all I'm thankful for..." she continued.

"Like you," Natsu whispered, pulling her a little closer to him.

"And you," she added, blushing slightly.

"And Fairy Tail, right?"

"And Fairy Tail!"

... ... ...

 **Mushy fluffy goodness... HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE! And if it's not Thanksgiving for you, then remember who and what you're thankful for anyway!**

 **Mira: *commanding Gray* YOU MUST GOBBLE!**

 **Gray: *still dressed as a giant turkey* I. Am. Not. Going. To. Frigging. Gobble.**

 **Wendy: Gobble, Gray-san! It's not that hard!**

 **Gray: ... *glares***

 **Mira: *smirks evilly* Do it or I'll get Erza to make you...**

 **Gray: FINE! *grits teeth* Gobble... gobble... _gobble._ THERE! HAPPY NOW?! **

**Very. ;)**


	128. Never Alone

**Guess what?! I just taught myself to play "Titanium" by David Guetta on the piano! I kept messing up, but still, YAY!**

 **Mira: Well, now you need to write a one-shot.**

 **Oh! And speaking of that, look forward to tomorrow. I'll be posting a special one-shot for a certain someone...**

 **Wendy: Ooh! I remember!**

 **;) That's right!**

 **Day One Hundred Twenty-Eight**

 **Never Alone**

Lucy had never in her life felt more alone than she did now.

How long had it been? A month? Two? How long had she been held captive, alone? Lucy lifted her head with difficulty to count the little white marks on the wall.

Before she had even reached number five, she was already too exhausted. All day they had been hurting her, torturing her... all day she did the best she could to hold onto her memories of the Outside - to hold onto her _sanity._

But no matter how she tried to envision pink hair and a scaly scarf, a warm embrace and a cheerful smile, she could not drive away the pain...

Before she reached the tenth mark on the wall, Lucy had passed out from exhaustion.

... ... ...

"Hello, little girl..."

Every time, it was the same. _"Hello, little girl."_ That was the voice she woke up to every morning.

"N-no," she gasped, stumbling backward desperately. But his hand caught onto her arm, dragging her out the door.

... ... ...

 _"N-no! Please, please don't - "_

 _"I want to hear you scream, little girl."_

 _"No, no, please n- **AH!"**_

... ... ...

"Have you found it yet?" Natsu asked anxiously, eyes wide with fear and hope at the same time. After a long, depressing month, Levy had finally found a lead, and Fairy Tail had chased it with all they had.

Anything to find Lucy.

"Almost," Erza replied tightly, adjusting a few controls on the dashboard. "Hold on - hold on..."

Suddenly she jumped up in excitement. "Oh my Mavis, guys, _I've got a signal!_ The dark guild's base - it's right here!"

... ... ...

The blade danced across her arm before digging in. She gritted her teeth, determined not to scream, though tears did leak from her ehs. Blood trickled down both her arms as each received the same treatment.

"I'm not done with you yet, little girl," the voice sang, and Lucy curled up, hugging herself and trembling. "I want to hear you _scream..."_

Fire danced across the dark image's fingertips.

... ... ...

Natsu's hand slammed through the brick wall, crumpling it like paper. "LUCY!" he roared, but received no response.

That didn't deter the dragonslayer, though. With his guildmates behind him, he set out of find Lucy.

Because he wasn't going home without her.

... ... ...

Lucy's throat had become hoarse from screaming. The mage put away his whip, which moments earlier had been covered in flames. "Good girl," he hissed. "I do love to hear you scream."

She closed her eyes, tears trickling down her already-wet face. "Natsu," she whispered. "Please..."

And that was when she heard him.

... ... ...

He threw open the door to the chamber, and drew back in horror.

A shaking figure - a girl, from the looks of it - was shackled to the wall, red lashings and burn marks covering her bare back. Meanwhile, a dark wizard stood triumphantly near her, a sizzling red whip at his belt.

"L-Lucy," Natsu choked out. "Oh my Mavis. _Lucy!"_

Within seconds, the dark mage was lying on the ground, out cold, and Natsu was at Lucy's side, gently undoing the cuffs that bound her wrists and ankles. "It's okay, Luce," he murmured in a soothing tone. "I'm here... Natsu's here."

"Na...tsu..." Lucy choked out. The clasps finally came undone, and Lucy fell forward, but Natsu softly caught her. He saw a weak, heartbreaking smile on her grimy face. "You... came..."

"That's right," he whispered, brushing her dirty hair out of her face. "Luce, they hurt you," he realized, taking in her arms, legs, and back. Rage seized him, and he tensed up in fury. _"How dare they..."_

"I was... alone," Lucy choked. "No one... came..."

Natsu took a shuddering breath before turning his attention back to Lucy. He had never been this gentle with her before - mainly because he'd never had to be. Never once had he seen her this badly broken before...

"You'll never be alone again," Natsu whispered, taking her frail hand in his. _"Never._ I promise..."

... ... ...

 **LOTS of angst! But fluffy still! Soooooo it's flangst, guys! :3**

 **Mira: Yaaayyyy!**

 **(Remember: look forward to tomorrow!)**


	129. AU: Fire and Water

**This one-shot is a special request from PokeguardianZ! It's set in the Percy Jackson fandom, sometime after The Blood of Olympus, in which Lucy is the child of Percy and Annabeth and Natsu is the son of... well, you'll see! ;) Happy late birthday, Z!**

 **Day One Hundred Twenty-Nine**

 **AU: Fire and Water**

Lucy was, admittedly, confused. And maybe just a little bit lost. Kind of. Not really.

She had finally been allowed to take on another quest, except this time she couldn't go with her best friend Levy, daughter of Athena. No, this time Lucy was stuck with some Hephaestus-descended freak.

Oh, and I do mean freak. This kid's dad was Leo. _The_ Leo. And his mom was Calypso - yes, _the_ Calypso. So the kid had just happened to inherit Leo's extra-special fire talents, even though typically the chances of that were almost zilch.

Then again, Lucy was a freak herself...

She happened to be the daughter of _the_ Percy and _the_ Annabeth. You would have thought that, as children of the original Seven, she and Mister Fire Freak would have met already. Not so. Well, okay, kind of so. They had played together as kids - she remembered that much - but they never really hung out once they got a little older...

"It's been years," Lucy mumbled to herself. At least ten years, but maybe more.

Anyway, she was confused because according to Fire Freak's father, his mother, his older brother, his best friend, his rival, and his fan club, Fire Freak was in six different places. Either he had lied to them all or they were all extremely forgetful.

Or he had gotten distracted and headed off into the woods alone without telling anyone...

Just Lucy's luck. It was the last one. She discovered this when she saw smoke rising out of the forest. Lots of it. And she heard people groaning his name, too - "Natsu," one of his cabinmates groaned near Lucy.

Natsu.

So that was his name. Yeah, it did sound familiar.

Anyway, she had better find the idiot so he could tag along on her quest...

* * *

"Oi, Luigi!"

"It's Lucy," the blond corrected with a dark look.

"Right, Luce, whatever. Anyway - "

"No, I _said_ \- "

" - we had better get going on this quest thingamajigger if we wanna make it to the telekhine place by tonight!"

Lucy scowled. "Lucy," she corrected him again. "It's Lucy. And... well, fine, let's go."

And so they did.

* * *

"Hey, Lucy?"

The blond turned to Natsu. They'd been riding this train for over an hour, but she was in a better mood now. After all, he'd finally started saying her name right.

He was still kind of annoying though. (And cute.) And a horribly messy eater. (And totally hot.) And NO! No, she didn't like him! At all! Of course not! That would be stupid and dumb and... and...

Well, the answer's no and that's all there is to it, okay?!

* * *

 _Fire._

He used fire, and it was _so cool_.

Lucy had inherited her father Percy's ability to control water, which was why it was such a good thing that the telekhines they needed to kill happened to live right next to a beach.

But Natsu had the ability to control fire, and it astounded Lucy.

He didn't just _use_ the fire. For Natsu, it was an art, and every jet of flame danced in an enticing, exciting, and somehow graceful fashion. He created a masterpiece in the midst of a battle, and Lucy wanted nothing more than to sit and watch him...

She smiled to herself.

Nope, she sure didn't like Fire Freak. Not at all. No romantic feelings whatsoever...

* * *

 **There you are! Happy birthday, PokeguardianZ! I spent awhile editing and stuff, trying to make it perfect... hope you enjoyed.**


	130. Lucy Gets Revenge

**Crack time, guys!**

 **Day One Hundred Thirty**

 **Lucy Gets Revenge**

Lucy was angry. And that meant she was going to get revenge.

What did he do? Abandon her all day for a stupid fishing trip, that's what! On a normal day she might not have minded so much, but Lucy had just spent a good two hours looking for the perfect job that he would love. Then she made reservations for two separate hotel rooms so they could stay the night in the town where the job was. And guess what? That cost her a lot of money!

Lucy had thought specially of Natsu, and what did he do? Ignore her, forget her, and run away with Happy for the day.

Angrily, the blond kicked her bed post. _Shows what he knows_ , she thought darkly. He was such a dense idiot, he sometimes forgot that other people had feelings, too.

He forgot she had feelings...

"Well," Lucy said, resolved in her decision, "looks like I'll just have to deal with this myself. I'll teach him to ignore me!"

... ... ...

Lucy was going to be a troll...

First of all, she bought a bunch of red spray-paint from the local hardware store. LOTS of it. It was cheap stuff, but it was definitely perfect for what Lucy had in mind. Then she donned her oldest, most worn-out clothes and a pair of science lab goggles. Just in case!

Then Lucy waited until everyone was asleep or away from the guild...

And she made her move.

... ... ...

"NATSU!"

When the first thing he woke up to was his name being screamed by a dozen people, Natsu got the feeling that his day wasn't going to go well.

This was confirmed in his mind when he saw the red spray-painted messages of "NATSU IS AWESOME" and "I'M FIRED UP" and "FIRE BEATS ICE" covering the whole interior of the guild building. Which he had no memory of doing...

He was about to ask Gray "Just how drunk was I last night?" when he caught Lucy's almost-hidden smirk from behind her book...

 _Hold on a second..._

"That's it, Luce," Natsu muttered, a sly grin crossing his features. "You want some a' this? I'm fire up now!"

Good thing Lucy didn't hear that, though. First of all, it would spoil the surprise, and second... well, Natsu had no idea what his "feral Dragon" voice did to her these days...

... ... ...

 **There you have it! NaLu! Love! Revenge! Yaaayyyy!**

 **Wendy: What does that last sentence mean? How can a voice do stuff to people?**

 **Mira: ... ;) it just means that Lucy likes Natsu's voice.**

 **Wendy: Oh. That makes sense. :3**

 **Gray: ... *facepalm***


	131. Balloon Crazy

**Hai.**

 **Mira: Hai!**

 **Gray: Hello. .**

 **Wendy: Write fluff, Kit! FLUFF!**

 **Day One Hundred Thirty-One**

 **Balloon Crazy**

Lucy knew from the beginning that the balloons were a terrible idea. No one listened.

Well, okay, so maybe a few wouldn't have been so bad. But _five dozen_ rainbow-colored latex-free popping-resistant balloons floating around the guild hall?! Seriously?!

That was just ASKING for a disaster.

And trust me, those balloons got what they asked for, big time.

"Balloons!" Asuka sang excitedly as she skipped around the guild hall. "Balloons, balloons, balloons!"

"Happy birthday, sweetheart," Bisca said with a smile, kissing Asuka's forehead. The little girl giggled, clutching at least ten balloons in one small hand. Alzack watched her with a loving expression.

Now, that all wasn't. The Connells, at least, were pleased with the balloons and not going insane over them, and they were certainly entertaining little Asuka.

But I can't say the same about the rest of the guild. They were taking "playtime" to a whole new level. Yes, I believe "going insane" is quite the understatement here.

Particularly when we're speaking of Natsu and Lucy...

"WOOOOO-HOOOOOOOO!" Natsu yelled, leaping from the second floor railing down onto a huge balloons cloud. He fell through and hit the floor, naturally.

"Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed, but he was already up and running around with still more balloons in his hands.

"Aren't these awesome, Luce?!" he cried excitedly, a wild look on his face, as he dashed around starting a balloon fight and jumping from the tallest places he could find.

Oh, and of course he dragged Lucy along the whole time...

"Natsu!" she shrieked he swung from a few of the chandeliers on the ceiling. She was riding on his back... against her will, of course. "THIS IS A TERRIBLE IDEA!"

"Wheeeeeeee!" he responded.

Then the chandelier broke.

They fell.

Natsu let out a Fire Dragon's Roar at the last second, absorbing the fall so they landed softly...

"Whoa," Lucy said breathlessly.

"See?" Natsu asked with a coy smile that sent shivers down Lucy's spine... "I'll always protect you, Luce."

For a moment, she was speechless.

Then she glanced around and noticed that he had left everything within a ten-foot radius charred completely black...

"NATSU!"

... ... ...

 **Eheheh. I'm not sure if that was fluff or crack. XD**

 **Mira: Erm...**

 **Gray: Well, that was definitely in-character. For Natsu, at least. You brought out his idiocy very well.**

 **Oh, Gray. Our resident cynic. ;3**

 **Anyway, guys, I'm sorry for being late again. As a way of making it up to you, I'll add an omake to tomorrow's post~! So look forward to that. :3 :3 :3**

 **Wendy: Bye-bye! *waves* See you tomorrow!**


	132. Save the Tears

**Hey-lo!**

 **So... guess what?**

 **I AM ANGRY.**

 **SPOILERS FOR LATEST FT MANGA CHAPTER BELOW**

 **After yesterday's chapter, let's just say I am NOT PLEASED. Seriously?! Natsu better not have just BEAT Zeref, in ONE SINGLE FRIGGING CHAPTER. That was way too fast! I hope Zeref is unharmed and he beats Natsu and nearly kills him. Because honestly, this just feels like the PERFECT moment for Natsu to finally... well, LOSE.**

 **And then he goes all END and we have epic NaLu moments and brotherly Gray/Natsu! :) And feels, lots of feels.**

 **SPOILERS ARE OVER**

 **Sooo yeah. There you go~! Anyway, it's chapter time.**

 **Day One Hundred Thirty-Two**

 **Save the Tears**

Natsu could only watch in anticipation as Lucy and Gemini prepared to deliver the winning blow to Flare. They had to beat her. Lucy was strong, Natsu knew it, and her Urano Metria was _something else._

There was no way she could lose...

At least, that was what he thought until one of those freaking Raven Tail wizards intervened.

"Lucy," he whispered in horror as she fell, defeated, to the ground. There she lay, not moving, and for one brief moment Natsu thought the worst. Fear and rage seized him.

Then she began to shake, and his sensitive ears picked up the sounds no one else could: Lucy was crying.

Immediately, the rage was whisked away, and Natsu could feel only sharp pang of sadness for the blond. She was _so close_ to victory, and then Raven Tail, those cheaters, had ruined it.

"Luce, you weirdo," Natsu whispered to himself. "It's just a battle. Everything's gonna work out just fine, you'll see..."

Besides, she had done her best, and wasn't that all that mattered in the end?

Natsu thought so.

He hopped over the railing, dropping down into the stadium and landing in a crouch. Then he jogged over to Lucy.

"Hey," he said gently, "you were great out there."

She shook her head, tears choking up her throat so she couldn't speak.

"Luce, you _were,"_ Natsu insisted. "You were _amazing."_

"I lost," she whispered through sobs.

"I don't care about that," Natsu replied gently. "If they wanna be cheaters, that's their problem." He crouched down beside her. "But I care about you. And you were great, Luce."

She continued to cry, but she didn't protest.

Natsu grinned, running a hand through her blond hair. "Don't cry, Luce," he murmured. "Lets save the tears for after we win... okay?"

His hand clasped hers, and he helped her into a sitting position, pulling her in close for a hug. "Okay," she agreed, her voice shaky but determined. "I'm all fired up..."

... ... ...

 **An expanded, more NaLu-y version of the aftermath of Lucy's battle with Flare. :3 Hoep you liked!**

 **Mira: FLUFF! FLUFFINESSSSSSSSSSSSS!**

 **Wendy: And angst. 3:**

 **Gray: Psh, that doesn't count. It was only a teensy bit angst.**

 **Right! Mostly fluff... see ya tomorrow, readers!**


	133. For Tonight

***sings to tune of that High School Musical song* What time is iiiiiit? It's time to write!**

 **Mira: You're so cheesy... :)**

 **I try! :) Also, I was VERY glad to hear that many of you readers shared my sentiments about Monday's FT chapter... *angry face* ...but anyway... what time is iiiiit? It's time to write~!**

 **Day One Hundred Thirty-Three**

 **For Tonight**

Party girls don't feel anything.

Lucy knew that. She had it all figured out since sixth grade: laugh, smile, conceal. Be pretty, be perfect, don't feel, and never cry.

After all, she didn't want to ruin her makeup...

For some reason, that thought now made her laugh. But it wasn't a good laugh; no, this was a manic, half-sobbing laugh, one that showed just how hopelessly drunk she was that night.

"Makeup," she whispered to herself through her choked sobs and her humorless laughter. "Makeup... is that all I really c-care about?" She hugged herself, throwing her head back and gasping for breath as more tears leaked down her face. "A pretty face... and the perfect image."

She was the perfect girl. The popular one. She was invited to all the parties and hung out with all the right people. People were jealous of her... well, if they knew how alone she was, they'd think twice about wishing to be her.

She had a boyfriend, too. Maybe the one person she actually cared about in the world, and who cared about her just as much... until tonight.

Since her mother, there hadn't been anyone like that. No one until Loke. Loke, who made her feel loved - and important. Loke, who had hooked up with another girl last night. Loke, who had _never_ really loved her as much as he said he did.

She ran from the party that night, when she found out.

She didn't want anyone to see the streaks of mascara down her face...

So here she was now, sitting in her empty kitchen with a bottle of her dad's alcohol. Lucy hadn't even looked at the label before she tipped its contents into a glass, sloshing some on the ground - but she didn't care. Whatever the stuff was, it was strong, and she'd seen her dad drunk enough times to know that.

There was no one in the world who loved about her anymore, was there?

Her hands trembled as she brought the glass to her lips, taking a long swig. She wanted to spit it out, the taste was so awful and strong, but she forced herself to swallow. Then she did it again, and again.

It helped. It eased the pain. And so Lucy kept drinking. She had finally drained the cup when she heard her window...

 _Natsu._

For a brief moment she worried of her father hearing him, but her sluggish, drunk brain remembered that her father was away on a trip yet again. He was always gone, but Lucy didn't care.

He hated her anyway.

"Luce," a familiar voice whispered, and she lifted her head to see Natsu's eyes widen as he took in the scene.

Her hands - still shaking - reached for the bottle again. She didn't want to see anyone. She didn't want anyone to be here. And that meant she didn't want Natsu here.

But then again, she told herself, that wasn't true. Because if there was one person in the world who might care about her still, it was Natsu.

"No," he said gently, taking the bottle from her hands. Lucy sank back against her chair, a few more choked sobs racking her form.

"He lied."

"I know." Natsu ran a hand through her hair.

"He never loved me..."

"Shhh," he whispered. "It's okay, Luce..."

"No one loves me."

Natsu shook his head. "I love you." He pulled her into a warm embrace, nuzzling her hair. "And I always will. Okay, Lucy?"

She continued to sob, but she was in his arms now. She was safe. She was loved.

So maybe, just maybe, she could still hold on. Just for tonight.

... ... ...

 **All you Loke fans, I'm sorry I made him evil-ish! But it had to be someone... And honestly, Loke did fit the bill. I mean, he'd never hurt Lucy like that, but he does tend to love everything in a skirt...**

 **Mira: This was somewhat inspired by the song "Chandelier" by Sia.**

 **But guys! HEY! IMPORTANT! The Marilyn Bailey cover of "Chandelier" on YouTube and/or iTunes is FIVE MILLION TIMES BETTER than the original.**

 **Wendy: That song makes me cry. ;-;**

 **Gray: Well... see ya tomorrow, readers.**

 **AND GO LISTEN TO MADILYN BAILEY! SHE IS A-MAY-ZING!**


	134. Doki Doki

**Kon'nichiwa, minna! (Hi, everyone)**

 **Mira: *shocked* You spoke Japanese!**

 **Hai! (Yes)**

 **Wendy: You watch lots of subbed anime, don't you...?**

 **Uh-huh. :D I know lots of words. Family(then again, everyone knows nakama), friends, hello, goodbye, yes, I'm sorry, thank you, summer(xD), spring(RAVE MASTER!), smile, dream...**

 **You know. Basic stuff. :)**

 **Day One Hundred Thirty-Four**

 **Doki Doki**

It was embarrassing - REALLY embarrassing. The fact that the guild happened to go quiet at EXACTLY THE WRONG MOMENT was just bad luck... but still. It was _embarrassing._

"Come on," Levy had said mischievously, poking Lucy. "Admit it!"

"N-no!" Lucy protested, turning pink.

"Aww, why?" Levy pouted.

"Because it's not true!"

"Yes, it is."

"No it _isn't!"_

"You _know_ it's true..."

"Is! Not!"

"Yes it is."

"No it isn't."

"Say it is!"

"But is ISN'T!"

"Aw, please, just say it is," Levy begged. "It can't be that hard. Just admit that Natsu makes your heart go doki-doki!"

"N-no!" Lucy cried, burying her bright red face in her hands.

"Just _say it_ ," Levy drawled. "Is it really so bad?"

"Ugh..." Lucy thunked her head down on the table.

"I promise I'll leave you alone if you say it," Levy said sweetly. "I promise!"

Lucy sat up sharply, slamming her hands down on the table. "FINE!" she yelled. "NATSU MAKES MY HEART GO DOKI DOKI!"

The whole guild was silent.

Crap. She had yelled that awfully loud at the exact moment the guild went quiet... hadn't she?

Lucy glanced around, mortified, before her eyes landed on Natsu. Well, he just looked confused. Typical... She gave a squeak of surprise, her face going even more red, as Mirajane poked her from behind.

"Doki doki, huh?" Mira asked with a waggle of her eyebrows.

"I - I - no!" Lucy stammered. "I don't - " Then her gaze fell on Levy, who was smirking, and her eyes narrowed. _"Levy,"_ she growled. "I am going to _kill you."_

Levy smiled and saluted playfully.

(Meanwhile, Natsu continued to stand there, completely confused... oh, look, there's Ice Princess looking stupid again. Time to start another brawl, he thought cheerfully.)

... ... ...

 **Doki doki, guys! XD**

 **Mira: ERMAGERSH. THE FLUUUUUFFFFFFF!**

 **Wendy: Doki doki! :D**

 **Gray: *bangs head on wall***

 **On a random, somewhat related note... are any of you familiar with the senpai song?**


	135. We Got That Fire

One of the things Lucy loved the most about her guild was the carefree attitude that everyone always seemed to have. There were so many things that set the wizards of Fairy Tail apart from everyone else; for one thing, they loved each other in a way Lucy hadn't known since before her mother's death, and they were always cheerful, acting like they didn't have a care in the world.

Lucy hummed a little song to herself as she skipped towards the guild hall. It was a song that, in her own opinion, was absolutely perfect for Fairy Tail - and for one fire dragonslayer in particular, Lucy added silently. She smiled.

In a way, the blond had always imagined Fairy Tail as a burning flame. A symbol of hope. Bright, lively, full of energy. That was Fairy Tail if anything was.

And then there was Natsu.

One of the first things Lucy had noticed about the pink-haired boy was that he fit his magic perfectly. He didn't just use fire; Natsu Dragneel was fire. Energetic, bright, and a sign of hope...

He also happened to be pretty hot, if you ask Lucy...

"Hey, Luce!"

In fact, he pretty much embodied everything the guild stood for, more so than anyone else.

"Wanna go on a job with us?"

"Aye!"

That was why, in Lucy's mind, Natsu would always be the best wizard in the guild.

"Sounds good," she said with abright smile, taking his hand.

"Great!" Natsu cheered. "This one's about thirty miles from here - "

"So we'll take the train," Lucy decided, and Natsu groaned.

"But Luce..." he whined.

"You get to kill a bunch of dangerous flesh-eating monsters," she enticed.

If anything, he completely forgot about the train ride. "I'm all fired up!"

As they walked, Lucy continued to sing under her breath. "We got that fire, fire, fire," she hummed, then laughed lightly. "More like 'We got that Natsu'..."

"Luce? What'cha laughin' at?"

"Hm?" She glanced up, then shook her head.

"Oh... it's nothing."

He grinned.

"If you say so, weirdo."

... ... ...

 **Inspired by the song "Burn" by Ellie Goulding. If you're familiar with the song, you probably guessed that. ;3**


	136. And She Missed

**So, some people wanted to know what "senpai" and "omake" are.**

 **Mira: A senpai is someone a level above you! It can be used literally(e.g. someone in the grade above you at school), or endearingly, to say that someone is very important to you/more important than you.**

 **Wendy: And an omake means something extra!**

 **Gray: Okay, let's just do the chapter...**

 **Day One Hundred Thirty-Six**

 **And She Missed**

Lucy was going to do it.

She was going to kiss Natsu.

The only problem?

She had no clue how to do it.

"Do I just smash my mouth against his?" she muttered as she paced back and forth in her apartment. "Or should I try to be more gentle...?"

"Should I ask him first?"

"Maybe I should just surprise him."

"Should I take it light or make it deeper...?"

",..How would I even go about doing either of those?!"

Admittedly, Lucy had never really kissed a guy before.

But she'd read about it!

That had to count for something... right?

"Will it feel nice?" she wondered. Well... supposedly kisses did feel nice.

"Will his lips taste like something?" In all the books, lips tasted good. Would Natsu's taste good?

"That sounded so weird inside my head," Lucy mumbled. She stopped, suddenly realizing something.

"...what if he hates it?"

He might push her away! What if he had kissed before? Then he'd know if she was a bad kisser.

Then again, this was Natsu. He probably hadn't even heard of the word "kiss" before...

But still!

What if she was the world's worst kisser?! He'd neverkiss her again...

"How do you even be a good kisser, anyway?!" Lucy cried, incredulous.

"Now that," a familiar voice drawled, "is something I can help you with."

... ... ...

Getting kissing advice from Cana?

 _Bad idea._

...probably. At least, it was better than nothing...

Besides, Cana had kissed guys before. That meant she had experience! She was Lucy's senpai! Right?!

...right.

Lucy took a deep breath before knocking on Natsu's door. It swung open almost right away.

"Luce?"

There he was. She readied herself.

"Hey, what's up?"

 _Play it cool._ "Uhh... er... w-well, I, e-erm..."

"You look upset. What's wrong, Luce?"

He looked so adorable when he was concerned. "Well... y-you see..."

You know what?

Forget the talk.

 _Go_.

Lucy tilted her head upward and leaned forward, ready to cover his mouth with hers, to taste his lips, to have her first kiss...

...aaaaaand she missed.

She stumbled, lips brushing against his lower right cheek as she fell. He caught her and helpedher back to her feet.

Lucy was trembling with embarrassment, blushing bright red. She backed away, fighting back tears, stammering apologies, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her in close.

"You missed," Natsu breathed, smirking in a most un-Natsu-like manner.

"I... y-yeah..." Lucy stuttered.

"So try again," the pink-haired boy decided, smirk morphing back into that familiar toothy grin. His hand caressed her cheek, guiding her lips toward his, and he swooped down to help close the gap.

Needless to say, she didn't miss this time.


	137. Etiquette vs Scary Natsu

**Here you are, folks!**

 **Gray: "Folks"?**

 **Of course! The readers are folks, aren't they?**

 **Gray: Err...**

 **Day One Hundred Thirty Seven**

 **Etiquette vs. Scary Natsu**

Natsu was no fan of etiquette.

Table manners - who needs those? Politeness - what's the use of that? It was all dumb rich people stuff, and he didn't want any part of it.

"Natsu!" Lucy scolded upon hearing this opinion. "It's not just rich people who learn etiquette. Anyone can be polite!"

He only snorted at this. "Why would anyone care about that?"

"Well, whenever you want to seem professional - " Lucy started, then paused. This was Natsu she was talking to. "...never mind."

"See!" he said, crossing his arms and sticking out his tongue. Lucy bit back a laugh at his childish behavior.

"There are more reasons why etiquette is important!" she continued, composing herself.

Natsu raised his eyebrows. "Suuure," he drawled.

"You just wait," Lucy said, balling her fists. "I'll prove it to you!"

Happy, meanwhile, munched on a fish as he hovered nearby. He, for one, was looking forward to this...

... ... ...

"Thank you," Lucy said politely, sliding into the tight space that was supposed to be her seat. After waiting for nearly an hour at the restaurant, she and Natsu at last were able to sit down... at the smallest table for two in the entire place.

"See?" Lucy bragged. "If we hadn't been polite and waited patiently" - though 'patiently' was a stretch; she had to restrain Natsu from lashing out at the employees multiple times - "we would have been kicked out and we wouldn't have gotten our table."

Natsu slammed down his menu. "This dingy little thing?" he cried, gesturing to the table. "Trust me, Luce," he said with a smirk. "Scary Natsu can do better."

Lucy saw exactly what he meant by "Scary Natsu" when the waiter came by their table and tried to chat it up with Lucy. The dragonslayer held up a flaming fist, glaring darkly at the waiter, who now looked terrified out of his wits.

"You better get us a better table than this," Scary Natsu growled. "And hands off Lucy."

...Lucy is sorry to admit that Scary Natsu worked far better than her manners.

... ... ...

After several more instances involving a flower stall, a bookstore, several job clients, and a pretzel vender, it became clear that "Scary Natsu" was rather effective - more so, it unfortunately seemed, than etiquette.

That is, until Lucy was caught walking back to the guild alone...

"Hey, pretty girl," a shady voice hissed, grabbing her by the arm ad dragging her into an alleyway. "I seem to recall you've got fine manners and a pretty body. What say you and I go out on a date? Maybe have a little fun afterwards?"

Lucy laughed nervously, trying to free herself from the man's grip. She reached instinctively for her whip before realizing that it and her keys were both back in her apartment.

"Er, no thanks," Lucy said, anxiety bubbling up in the pit of her stomach. She recognized the man's face; he was the waiter from the restaurant. "I don't really - "

She was interrupted by his lips crushing hers. One of his hands pinned both of hers to the wall as his other tried to yank up her shirt. Lucy jerked her face away and screamed the first thing that came to mind:

"NATSU!"

And then he was there, holding her tightly, the man suddenly lying beaten, burned, and unconscious on the ground.

"Luce," Natsu whispered, stroking her hair.

"Natsu." His name came out as more of a sob than anything.

"Y'know, all those manners make people forget you're in Fairy Tail," he chided. "Ya don't wanna come off as a pushover..."

Lucy gave a noncommital hum.

"And Scary Natsu just saved your cute butt."

Lucy flushed a bit at the comment. She turned his words over thoughtfully in her head.

"Yeah," she sighed. "I do kinda like Scary Natsu."

They shared a smile.

And in the end, for Fairy Tail at least, etiquette really was just a bunch of junk.


	138. A Whispered Wish

***misses 3 days of writing challenge***

 ***dies of shame***

 **GOMENASAIIIIIIIII**

 **I'm sowwy ;~; Please forgive me. I shall now write a small drabble. And tomorrow (or the next day) you will be rewarded with a HUUUUGE flangsty chapter, okay? Okay! I promise!**

 **Day One Hundred Thirty-Eight**

 **A Whispered Wish**

Lucy gazed at the sky, filled with stars. You couldn't see a whole lot of them from Magnolia, but the view from Lucy's apartment window was still beautiful.

She waited.

And there it was.

A lone shooting star, fallen astray from the meteor shower that would be visible elsewhere. Quickly, before it vanished, Lucy closed her eyes and whispered her wish.

"I wish that he would notice me," she whispered. "I want him to see me as more than just a friend. I want him to save a special smile just for me."

She smiled briefly at the thought of his bright, toothy grin.

"I want him to hold me. I want him to kiss me. I want him to tell me that he loves me..."

... ... ...

Natsu hadn't expected a shooting star. But when he caught sight of it, he was quick about making his wish.

"I wish that Lucy loves me as much as I love her." He paused.

"...but if you can't do that, Mr. Star, a year's supply of the world's best ramen would be great!"

... ... ...

 **Mkay, I'm gonna hurry and post this. Bye-bye!**

 **Mira: *fire in eyes* You better not miss any more days EVER AGAIN!**

 **Eeek! *hides under pillow***


	139. Here Comes Christmas

***sweats* Erm, the long one-shot will have to wait till tomorrow... or maybe this weekend... weeellll... SOMETIME SOON I'll compensate for my lateness! I really will!**

 **Mira: *has not been threatening me the past 24 hours* *at all***

 **Day One Hundred Forty**

 **Here Comes Christmas**

"It's December!" Natsu cried in excitement, punching a fist into the air. "All RIGHT!"

"It's been December for, what, eight days now?" Lucy replied, sweatdropping. "Also, we're in the middle of Magnolia... you don't want to scare people with your fire," she added, noting that his fist had lit up with flames.

"Well, I know it's been December already, but now we're close to Christmas," Natsu continued excitedly, completely ignoring Lucy's warning about the fire. People shied away from the "fire freak" in the middle of town; despite his fame, it was clear that most people weren't at all comfortable with Natsu's magic up-close and personal.

Lucy's eyes lit up. After sharing only just shy of a year with Fairy Tail, she had already become an integral part of their family, and they were an equally important part of her own life. She had never had a real Christmas before that she could remember - the days when she had a real family with her mother and father were only foggy, washed-up old memories now. Since then, Christmas had only been another melancholy day in the Heartfilia household. The servants bought her gifts, but her father could have cared less...

Lucy shook away the painful memories. Now wasn't the time.

Besides, she had something new to look forward to. Christmas could become meaningful again. A time to spend with family and friends, exchange gifts to show love for one another...

Her hand closed around a certain wrapped package in her back pocket as she cast a sideways glance at Natsu.

"We are getting close to Christmas, aren't we..." the blond murmured in response to his earlier statement as her gaze flitted across the scene before them. A light dusting of frost on the grass and trees. Stars just beginning to peek out from behind the sunset's many colors. Garlands, wreaths, and strings of lights hung across homes and street lamps and shops...

"I'm all fired up," Natsu said with his trademark grin. "This year's gonna be the best Christmas _ever!"_

"You bet it will," Lucy cheered, taking his hand and lifting it into the air with hers. "Now, back to present shopping?"

"All right!"

"You better not tell anyone what I bought them..."

"Aw, 'course not, Luce!"

Lucy grinned, cheeks flushing pink as they raced toward the nearest interesting-looking shop.

She had a feeling this really _was_ going to be the best Christmas ever.

... ... ...

 **Mmmmkay... there you are! Drabbly Christmas stuff.**

 **Wendy: Yay! I love Christmas~**

 **Gray: You're a little ball of fluff and sunshine. You love EVERYTHING.**

 **Mira: *giggles* Gray does have a point there...**

 **Wendy: E-erm... *blushes***

 **It's true. *hugs Wendy* Anyhow, see ya tomorrow, readers!**


	140. Little Natsu and Lucy p6: Finding Her

**Hello, my dear readers. *grins* Toady's one-shot is going to be fun and fluffy!**

 **Gray: You just said "toady."**

 **Wendy: *giggles* I think she meant "today"...**

 **Day One Hundred Forty-One**

 **Little Natsu and Lucy Part Six**

 **Finding Her**

Natsu had to find her.

"She's gone..."

He wouldn't listen. She wasn't gone; only lost, and she needed to be found. So he'd find her.

"Natsu, there's nothing you can - "

 _"SHUT UP!"_ the fourteen-year-old boy screamed, whirling around and thrusting a punch into Gray's stomach. "Don't you tell me what I can and can't do," he growled, trembling with fury and grief.

Gray stumbled back, sputtering. Eyes darkening, he began to form a lance of ice, but Mirajane stepped in.

"No," she choked out, voice watery. Her hair was down, not in its usual ponytail, for the first time Natsu had ever seen. Her entire composition was a mess, her eyes red and sore. "Don't, Gray... don't."

But Mirajane's state was nothing compared to Natsu, or even to Lisanna.

The poor white-haired girl was only alive because Lucy had stepped in. She had stayed holed up in her house since it happened, and whenever anyone tried to check in, she would answer no one's knocking. She and Lucy were best friends, and now Lucy was d...

"Gone," Natsu mumbled. "Lost." He continued to tremble. "Not dead. She's not dead..."

He had no home to lock himself up in. An old house he never set foot in, a place to collect dust, was no home. Family was home. Fairy Tail was home. Lucy was home.

And when he returned from his latest job with Happy to hear that she was dead...

His heart had been all but ripped from his chest.

... ... ...

Natsu crouched beside the small grave, eyes dark. "I'm keeping my promise, Lucy," he mumbled.

He forgave Elfman. He forgave Lisanna. He knew it was neither of their faults, but in his heart, there had been a grudge he held against the two of them.

So he forgave them...

But that didn't mean he was "moving on."

Because Lucy wasn't dead.

He'd seen death before. Death was a body in a casket. Death was emptiness. Lucy was not empty. Natsu felt, still, that little tugging sensation in his heart, the little connection he felt with Lucy.

She wasn't dead.

He wouldn't let her be.

"I'm keeping my promise," he said again, louder, voice wobbling. "I lost you, Luce. But I'm gonna find you. And I'm gonna bring you home, okay?"

Happy rested on Natsu's shoulder and hugged his neck.

"Hear that, Luce?" Natsu called to the sky. _"You hear that?_ I'm gonna find you! _I promise you that!"_

... ... ...

 **Mira: THAT WAS YOUR IDEA OF FLUFFY AND FUN?!**

 **Yup!**

 **Gray: ...**

 **Sooo I decided that in my Little Natsu and Lucy AU, Lucy takes the place of Lisanna with the whole Edolas fiasco. She's also the one who is close to Natsu and is Happy's "mother," instead of Lisanna.**

 **So there's your daily dose of fluffy and fun.**

 **Wendy: Erm... yeaaahhh...**


	141. This is Family

**Oops.**

 **I called yesterday Day 141... BUT IT'S NOT! TODAY IS DAY 141! *bangs head against wall while cursing self in Latin***

 **Mira: Oh, yeah, I forgot you speak Latin.**

 **Gray: *mumbles* The dead language...**

 **Wendy: Gray-san! That wasn't nice!**

 **Day One Hundred Forty-One (for real this time)**

 **This is Family**

The word "family" was a difficult one for Lucy.

For a long time, it was as though she hadn't had a family. A distant, neglecting father and a dead mother - that wasn't what "family" was. She had read enough stories to know that.

So what was family?

... ... ...

 _"Family is being happy," Lucy said matter-of-factly to Michelle, her doll, as she brushed her hair. She ran the brush through the doll's artificial brown locks, continuing, "Family is like a home. Home isn't about a house or whatever. It's about how you feel."_

 _She picked up a pink butterfly hair clip in her right hand. "I think family is what really makes a home."_

 _Then she frowned, her tone suddenly becoming wistful as her arm dropped her side. "Papa's the only family I've got..." She picked Michelle up, biting back ears and searching for some sign of recognition in the doll's eyes. "Do you think he still loves me?"_

 _She hugged Michelle close to her chest, adding in a whisper, "If he doesn't, does that still count as family?"_

... ... ...

So, yes, family was a difficult word for Lucy. She wasn't entirely sure what a real family was until she joined Fairy Tail. For the first time, there was laughter in her life. There was love. There was kindness, and there was something else the blond could not put a name to.

It wasn't long, however, before she discovered exactly the word she needed.

Family.

Fairy Tail was family.

Faint echoes of laughter, happiness, and love were all that remained of the days when Lucy had a mother, but when she joined Fairy Tail, the Celestial mage found the same happiness and wholeness she had felt as a child. It was as though a part of herself had been lost, and Fairy Tail brought it back.

Natsu brought it back.

... ... ...

 _"You said you wanted to join Fairy Tail, didn't you?"_

 _His smile lit up the darkness in a way nothing else could._

 _"Then come on!"_

... ... ...

Natsu brought her to Fairy Tail and became her job partner. Natsu saved her from Phantom Lord, from Kain Hikaru of the Seven Kin of Purgatory. Natsu gave her hope after she had lost against Flare.

Natsu was her rock, her support, her partner, her best friend, and the light to her darkness.

In essence, he was _everything_ to Lucy.

He was family to her, just as Fairy Tail was. He made her complete, just as Fairy Tail did. He filled the emptiness that Lucy never realized was there.

This, Lucy knew, was _family._

... ... ...

 **There you are, a cutesy, sweet, fluffy drabble! Laced with a teeeeensy bit of angst from Lucy's past, but it's only a LITTLE BIT! DON'T BE MAD!**

 **(If anyone gets mad, I'll just prove that I can do lots worse. :D)**

 **Mira: 0-0**

 **Gray: I don't like the sound of that.**

 **Wendy: *tackle hugs me* DON'T KILL ANYONE! PLEASE! NO! NONONONONO! WE ALREADY GOT ANGST YESTERDAY! NOOOO!**

 **...well someone's passionate... *is unable to breathe due to the force of Wendy's hug***


	142. Singing in the Shower

**I looked at this and I'm like, "Today's day has math in it! 1 plus 4 equals 2! Cool!"**

 **...and then I realized I was a failure at life.**

 **Mira: XD You must be awfully tired.**

 **Day One Hundred Forty-Two**

 **Singing in the Shower**

Lucy was singing in the shower again today. Just between you and me, she's not half bad at singing. Actually, I think she's really good.

I listen to her sing a lot. She doesn't much like singing in front of people and all, but I hear her sing in the shower all the time. And no, that does not make me a stalker! It's just that her bed is so comfy and her apartment is so nice...

Anyway, I was listening to her singing and everything was great, until the shower turned off and I could hear exactly what she was singing.

And se started singing about Gray.

Ice freak, of all people! Snowflake! Stripper! Lucy was frigging singing about GRAY!

"LUCY!" I roared, kicking her bathroom door down and revealing Lucy, wearing her pajamas and brushing her teeth.

"NATSU!" she shrieked in response. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"TELLING YOU NOT TO SING ABOUT GRAY, THAT'S WHAT!"

"I COULD HAVE BEEN NA - wait, what?" Lucy blinked in surprise. "I wasn't singing about Gray!"

"Yeah you were!" I argued. "I heard you! You said cold, and ice, and snow, and... "

I could have gone on way longer, but Lucy interrupted me with a laugh. "Natsu, it's winter time," she said, giggling. "That means people sing songs about winter! It doesn't mean I was singing about Gray, you dork."

"Don't call me a dork." Anyway, she was clearly trying to cover up her evil Gray-themed singing with a lie.

"You're a jealous dork," Lucy teased _._

Jealous? _Me?!_ "I ain't jealous _or_ a dork," I replied stubbornly.

"Suuuuuure," Lucy replied, smiling and rolling her eyes.

"Weirdo," I replied nonchalantly, making her scoff indignantly, and I grinned inwardly.

I wouldn't have Luce any other way...

Though we could both live without her singing about Gray, if you ask me.

... ... ...

 **Gray, I'm sure you're pleased with this chapter!**

 **Gray: *is incredibly unamused***

 **Wendy: *giggles***

 **Mira: And remember, readers: 1 plus 4 equals 2!**


	143. A Little Ball of Fluff and Sunshine

**Hmm... what should I write today?**

 **Wendy: Fluff!**

 **...good idea, Wendy, I'll write horrible and heartbreaking angst! :D**

 **Mira: NO! What - NO!**

 **Gray: ...**

 **Wendy: NOOOOOOOOOO**

 **Day One Hundred Forty-Three**

 **A Little Ball of Fluff and Sunshine**

I'm currently sitting here in the guild hall, disguised as some random Fairy Tail member, taking diligent notes and waiting for a chance to write terrible angst. No such luck. Everything seems to be pretty happy-go-lucky today, which means you guys are fortunate...

See, over there in the corner? Gajeel's sitting there, eating the silverware again. There's the potential that Mirajane will get angry with him about that. She might even go for the Satan Soul approach, considering it's the third time he's used her favorite forks as a snack in this week alone.

But even so, I don't think it'd be interesting enough for a story.

Moving on, we've got Levy avoiding Jet and Droy. Nothing out of the ordinary here. I'm already bored.

What next? Oh, look, it's Natsu and Lucy. They're arguing about something... probably their last little escapade that involved Natsu causing so much destruction, Lucy actually _lost_ money, rather than _earning_ some from the job. I imagine Natsu's trying to convince her that it wasn't his fault.

Good luck with that one, bud...

Oh, here's something of interest. Gray and Juvia seem to be having a cute, intimate conversation... aaaannnnnd there goes his shirt, and now Juvia's looking awfully flustered and Erza seems to be sending Gray death glares. Why don't we leave them alone before anything else comes off...

Aha!

Found something.

Ooh, you guys are gonna like this.

... ... ...

Gajeel glared across the room at Romeo to the point where the purple-haired boy could literally _feel_ his gaze boring into the back of his head. Natsu stared even harder, and the hairs on the back of Romeo's neck stood on end. And Gray's icy stare was enough to make anyone shiver.

"Jeez," the boy grumbled under his breath, put off by the fact that even Natsu was giving him a malicious glare. "It's not like I'm gonna _try_ anything... I'm just giving her flowers..."

The reason for these furious stares was the little blue-haired girl sitting a few feet away from Romeo, chatting happily with Charle. Romeo swallowed nervously. He'd liked her for some time, and now he was finally about to do something about his feelings...

Gulping, Romeo stepped forward. He cleared his throat, and Wendy turned curiously.

"Oh! Hi, Romeo," she said shyly, turning faintly pink. "Charle and I were just talking about our favorite flavor of cake that the bar serves."

"U-um..." the purple-haired boy stumbled, trying to come up with something clever to say. "M-Mira makes a mean red velvet cake," he finally blurted, then mentally cursed himself.

"Are those flowers?" Wendy noted, eyes widening slightly. Romeo nodded, words sticking in his throat. "Who are they for?" she continued.

Romeo didn't get to answer, however, as he was lifted off the ground by a scowling Gajeel.

"Wh-wha-!" he cried, nearly dropping the flowers in his shock.

"Wendy," Gajeel growled, "is a little ball of fluff and sunshine, and she's gonna stay that way."

"Right," Gray agreed, glaring. "No boy is gonna get near her."

"Her heart ain't gettin' broken anytime soon," Gajeel finished.

"B-but I just wanted to - " Romeo protested. Gray, however, didn't even let him finish.

"Over my dead body," the ice mage said shortly.

Romeo turned to see if Natsu was available to help him - that is, if the pink-haired boy would even possibly side with him - but he was too busy kissing Lucy in the corner...

 _Seriously?!_ he groaned mentally. _So Natsu can kiss HIS girl, and take her out on dates, and I can't even give Wendy FLOWERS?!_

Life was seriously unfair.

... ... ...

 **Ah, there you are, some fluffiness.**

 **Mira: But I thought you said - !**

 **Wendy: ...**

 **Gray: THAT was heartbreaking angst?!**

 **Nope! I was tricking you guys! :D Instead, you got RoWen fluff, overprotective Natsu, Gajeel, and Gray, and your daily dose of NaLu! Don't complain!**

 **Wendy: ... ... ...Romeo LIKES me? ... ... ... *faints***


	144. Not a Snap Thing

**I NEED TO WRITE A CHAPTER RIGHT NOW SUPER FAST SO YUP**

 **Day One Hundred Forty-Four**

 **Not a Snap Thing**

Natsu wanted to go on a job with Lucy, and frankly, Lucy was taking far too long to get ready.

Ten minutes, she had said! Ten minutes, and how long had it been? An _hour._ At _least._ (Probably more, but Natsu wasn't so great with time.)

"Luuuuuce," he whined, banging on her window, which was - for once - locked tight. "Hurry up!"

"I'm busy," she replied brusquely, shooting him a glare. The only plus side to this situation was that Lucy's window was in no way soundproof, so at least he could still talk to her. Lucy, however, did not consider this a plus side.

"Doing what?!"

"Writing! Now stop talking to me, I can't concentrate!"

"Weirdo," Natsu scoffed. "You said you were getting ready. Now you're writing?!"

"I can write if I want to," the blond replied tartly. "Just let me finish this chapter, okay?"

"Well... fine..." Natsu gave in, before lifting his nose in the air. "But make it quick!"

"ARGH!" Lucy threw down the pencil in frustration, stalking over to the window and pounding on the glass. "NATSU! WOULD YOU STOP IT! WRITING IS NOT A "SNAP" THING, OKAY?!"

Natsu started back, tipping off the edge of the windowsill in his startled-ness. (THAT IS A WORD, OKAY? Okay.) He gave a yelp of surprise as he fell, barely catching himself on the edge of the sill.

Lucy gave a little shriek of surprise, throwing open the window and leaning out of it. "Oh Mavis!" she cried, holding out her hand for Natsu to take, which he did, gratefully. "I'm so sorry, Natsu - I didn't mean - I just - " She turned pink. "A-anyway, back to the point." Her worry had quickly reverted back to irritation once he was back safely on the windowsill and clearly unhurt. "Writing isn't a snap thing, so just leave me alone and I'll finish when I finish!"

Natsu smiled sheepishly. "Okay, Luce," he conceded. "But... how long d'you think that's gonna take, anyway?"

"Oh, just another hour or two if you don't bug me too much," Lucy dismissed.

"..."

Natsu groaned.

He was never going to go on this job with her, was he?

... ... ...

 **Aaannnd there you go so yup I gotta go now bye :)**

 **Mira: You forgot punctuation...**

 **AAARRGGHHH I DON'T CARE I'M IN A RUSH! *sobs* FORGIVE MEEEEEEEE**


	145. Sigh

**O-oh my gosh...**

 **Oh... my... g-gosh...**

 **I can't... I can't even... I just...**

 ***SCREAMS* ASDFHJKGGLSJFKLADJOWUFCOUWBCO YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! TWO! THOUSAND! REVIEWS! I just - I just - WHAT?! *crying and laughing and screaming and I don't even know***

 **You guys... you have no idea how much this means to me. :') Thank you so much, and a reward chapter of 5,000-plus words will be out by this weekend as a means of thanking you!**

 **Day One Hundred Forty-Five**

 **Sigh**

 **A Sequel to "Yawn"**

Lucy sighed. "Today is _boring."_

"It sure is," Levy agreed. "Sigh."

One of Lucy's eyebrow's twitched; she still vividly recalled the yawn incident of several weeks ago, which had gone on for a good ten days at least, and succeeded in thoroughly annoying the blond Celestial mage.

"Levy," Lucy began, "it's kind of annoying when you say the word _sigh._ You could just - "

"Siiiiiggghhhh," Mirajane interrupted loudly from across the room. "I'm bored!"

"Mira!" Lucy whined, absolutely certain that it was going to catch on, just as the "yawn" trend had.

She wasn't wrong.

"Siiiiiggghhhhh," said Master Makarov, stretching and yawning as he walked into the guild.

"SERIOUSLY?!" Lucy cried. _"Now_ you can actually yawn? Now that you've started saying something else, _now_ is when you decide to stop saying 'yawn'?!"

"Sigh," Natsu said. "Yawn. And sigh. And yawn. And sigh. And - "

"ARGH!" Lucy screamed, giving Natsu a (rather harsh) kick across the room. "QUIT IT, WILL YOU?!"

"Lucy's mean," Happy sniveled. "It's not _that_ big of a deal!"

As if to completely contradict his point, everyone in the guild at that moment stretched and sighed.

And I don't mean they actually sighed.

I mean this:

"Sigh," said Max.

"Sigh," said Warren.

"Sigh," said Macao.

"Sigh," said Wakaba.

"Sigh," said Kinana.

"Sigh," said Max's broom.

"Sigh," said Asuka.

"Sigh," said Bisca.

"Sigh," said Alzack.

"Sigh," said Laki.

"Sigh," said Romeo.

"Sigh," said Mavis.

"Sigh," said Mest.

"Sigh," said Charle.

"Sigh," said Wendy.

"Sigh," said Gildarts.

"Sigh," said Loke.

"Sigh," said Virgo.

"Sigh," said Aquarius.

"Sigh," said all of Lucy's other spirits which I don't really feel like naming right now because writing down all these other names is hard enough.

"Sigh," said Gemini. Hold on. Scratch that. I wasn't supposed to write any more spirits. Oops.

"Sigh," said Pantherlily.

"Sigh," said Gajeel.

"Sigh," said Laxus.

"Sigh," said Levy.

"Sigh, said Evergreen.

"Sigh," said Bickslow.

"Sigh," said Elfman.

"Sigh," said Lisanna.

"Sigh," said Freed.

"Sigh," said Erza.

"Sigh," said Plue - hold on! PLUE IS A SPIRIT TOO!

"Sigh," said Gray.

"Sigh," said Juvia.

"Sigh," said Cana.

"Sigh," said Zeref - Wai-wai-wait WHAT?! Okay... you know what? That's it. I think I'm done now.

"OKAY, I GIVE UP!" Lucy screamed at said list of people (and many others). "I AM GOING HOME!"

She was, however, chased down by Natsu begging for forgiveness and how could she say no to those puppy dog eyes?!

... ... ...

 **Again, thank you so much for your AMAZING reviews. They make my life worthwhile. ;3**


	146. Abandoned Promise

**Problem: boredom.**

 **Solution: WRITE! :D**

 **Mira: I like that mode of thinking.**

 **Day One Hundred Forty-Six**

 **Abandoned Promise**

 _Promise me, Natsu. Promise me you'll always stay by my side..._

 _'Course I will, Luce!_

 _But do you promise?_

 _Yeah. I promise. I'll always be here for ya, okay?_

 _Okay!_

* * *

Abandoned.

There were a lot of words to describe this feeling of emptiness inside Lucy. Lonely, hollow, desolate, forgotten...

But abandoned was the one she thought of.

They had all gone on with their lives. They had all left. Her only hope, her one thing to hold onto, was that she would still have Natsu, and then he too left her behind.

So now what?

* * *

 _Lucy, Lucy, come on!_

 _Wait up, Natsu!_

 _You're such a slowpoke..._

 _Hey!_

* * *

Days passed, and she found herself unable to accept the fact that they had left her. She was not alone. She wouldn't be alone. Her loneliness settled into her routine and became almost normal. Go to work at Sorcerer Weekly. Come home. Eat something. Sit and read. And then go to bed.

The silence was thick, and Lucy came to realize she was unable to fill it. She tried watching TV, keeping the radio on, anything, but it didn't work. She could not fill the silence left by her nakama when they abandoned her.

* * *

 _I'm bored._

 _Finally!_

 _Natsu, why are you GLAD that I'm bored?!_

 _Well, 'cause it means you can finally go on a job with me! C'mon, let's go!_

* * *

She tried so hard to be optimistic at first. So _very hard._

"Now that Natsu won't be breaking into my house anymore, I can write in peace!" she said to herself with false cheer and a forced smile. But her heart wasn't in it.

A week later, she threw her unfinished novel in the trash.

She dug it out the next day, but she found herself simply unable to write. The moment she picked up the pen, her arms felt heavy as lead, and her heart even heavier.

* * *

 _What are you writing, Luce?_

 _How many times do I have to tell you?! My book!_

 _Tch, weirdo._

 _NATSU!_

* * *

Lucy flung herself onto her bed, sobbing.

He was never going to come back to her.

Was he?

* * *

 _I'll always be here for ya... okay?_

* * *

"You abandoned your promise, Natsu... you abandoned _me."_

* * *

 **Angst. Lots of it. You're welcome!**

 **Mira: THAT WAS AWFUL.**

 **Wendy and Gray: AGREED.**

 **Weeellllll, I wouldn't talk... you're the ones who abandoned her, after all.**

 **Mira, Wendy, Gray: ... *hides in corner***


	147. It's a Beautiful Life We Live

**I am a weird nerdy loser freak. :)**

 **Gray: That's awesome. *sarcastic***

 **It sure is~! *not sarcastic***

 **Day One Hundred Forty-Seven**

 **It's a Beautiful Life We Live**

Lucy smiled as she skipped through the street. This morning when she woke up, she had known it was going to be an amazing day, because that was just the kind of day it was. She had a bounce in her step and a little extra cheer in her smile, and she knew right away that she was ready for anything.

She walked into the guild hall, and that changed.

The moment she skipped into the building, ready to shout her greetings to everyone, the words died in her throat. The guild hall was completely silent.

People were sitting around, staring into space and mostly doing nothing at all. Mira was wiping down the counters, and from the looks of it, she'd been doing the same for at least a few hours. Immediately, red flags went up in Lucy's mind.

She'd only seen Fairy Tail like this a few times before, and none of those cases had been good.

Everyone was here in the guild hall - everyone, that is, except one person, and fear rose up inside Lucy as she realized who that one person was.

Lisanna looked up at Lucy through tired, red eyes. She'd been crying. "Lucy," she choked out, her voice hoarse. "It's... N-Natsu, he's..." She shook her head and buried her face in her arms, voice cracking, and Lucy could hear the tears in her voice, plain as day. "Th-the infirmary..."

No more needed to be said. Lucy nodded, biting back tears, and tore through the guild to the infirmary door.

"Natsu!" she cried out as soon as she set foot in the room, and there he was, lying on the infirmary bed in all his pink-haired glory. Unconscious. Not moving. Barely breathing.

Lucy forced herself to focus on his face. She didn't want to see the wounds that battered his body.

Happy was sitting there beside the bed. "Lushy," the little blue cat sobbed. "I'm sorry, we were out on a job, and I c-couldn't get there in time - "

But Lucy cut him off with a hug.

"It's okay," she whispered, holding him close. "It's okay, Happy... h-he's alive... he's going to be okay."

Happy nodded, unable to speak.

Lucy finally broke free of the embrace, choosing instead to kneel beside Natsu's bed. She ran her fingers through his pink locks.

"You idiot."

She leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.

"You silly, flame-brained idiot..."

He tensed up, shifting in his sleep. "Luce..." he groaned.

She smiled tearfully. "I love you _so much,_ you know that?"

Happy sniffled. "H-he loves you t-too..."

She laughed, but the sound was hollow. "Yep. He _liiiiikes_ me..."

The joke, however, fell flat, and silence engulfed the room. Nothing could be heard but the sound of Natsu's scratchy, labored breathing. Lucy clutched the bedsheets in her fists.

"I meant it, Happy. He _will_ be okay. He'll get through this, and so will we, alright?" She smiled weakly, and the little blue cat returned with his own.

"A-Aye, sir."

"It's a beautiful life we live, you know," she said wistfully, gazing up at the ceiling. "Every heartbeat, every second, every breath, it's all precious, and it's beautiful. So don't let that go." She looked back down at Natsu. "Because all of that can be gone in a fraction of a second."

Happy nodded, spreading his wings and floating over to Natsu to cuddle up beside him.

"Every good thing in his life... hold onto it with all you have. Because it's _everything."_

... ... ...

 **Angst, I guess, but he didn't really die! And there was fluff too! Kinda!**

 **Mira: Your flangst is... well...**

 **Wendy: It's flangst!**

 **Mira: Exactly.**

 **You know, a couple people mentioned that they've been seeing other flangsty fanfics on this site... I HAVE CREATED A NEW GENRE, GUYS!**

 **Though when I think about it, it might have been nerdcandy who came up with the name. NERDCANDY AND I INVENTED A NEW GENRE! AAAHHHHHHHHH YAAAAAAYYYYYY!**

 **(OOOOHHHHHH and by the way I have a tumblr! It's called wannabe-writer-girl and please check it out. :3)**


	148. Dream Come True

***huggles you* HUGGLES FOR EVERYONE!**

 **Gray: ...huggles?**

 **Mira: Yup! Hug plus cuddles equals** **huggles!**

 **Wendy: Yaaaayyyy! *huggles***

 **Gray: ...okay...**

 **Day One Hundred Forty-Eight**

 **Dream Come True**

Lucy was having the best dream of her life, and it went a little something like this...

"Luce!" a familiar voice shouted, waving. Lucy turned around, slightly startled, but her surprise turned into cheer as she recognized the person calling to her.

"Hey, Natsu," she said happily. He smiled back, but there was something off about it.

"Look, Lucy..." His confidence seemed to waver for a moment, but before Lucy could ask why, a look of determination crossed Natsu's face. "I need to tell you something," he told her firmly.

"Um... okay," Lucy replied, unsure but curious.

"I'm in love with you."

"..."

"..."

 ** _"...what?"_**

"I said," Natsu repeated, "I'm in love with you!"

And suddenly he was kissing her.

Lucy woke up sharply, gasping for air, the feel of Natsu's lips on hers lingering there.

"Oh... hey Luce..."

She glanced up, eyes wide, at the pink-hiared boy standing, embarrassed, by he bedside.

"Er, you were saying funny things in your sleep, so..."

"Come here," Lucy growled, pulling him in close. "I'm in love with you, okay?"

"..."

"..."

 _ **"...what?"**_

This time it was Lucy who initiated the kiss on Natsu, and if anything, it felt even better than in her dream.

This, she decided, was a dream come true.

... ... ...

 **A bit short and maybe kinda cheesy, but oh well. DX It's pretty late at night where I am...**


	149. Down the Line

**Whooaa, we're almost at Day 150! That's a serious milestone, guys! :O**

 **Mira: *cheers* Yay! Almost 150 Days of NaLu!**

 **Gray: *freezes confetti so it falls to the ground* You can't celebrate yet. It's** ** _tomorrow_** **.**

 **Wendy: *pouts* You ruined the fun...**

 **Day One Hundred Forty-Nine**

 **Down the Line**

Grand Magic Games, year X807.

Natsu versus Gray.

Lucy smiled to herself, resting her chin in her hand. They were powerful, so powerful... two of Fiore's most well-known mages, which was exactly why they would be participating in the exhibition match at this year's GMG.

As always, every year, the Games stirred up old memories, forced things to resurface that she did not want to recall. Memories from years ago, back before she and Natsu had fallen in love, before they had married and she had become pregnant. Before their little pink-haired firestarter Nashi had come along.

Lucy glanced at the seat beside her. Nashi's pink curls bounced around her shoulders as she hopped up and down in her seat in her excitement. "It's about to start, Mama!" the ten-year-old cried. "I'm so excited - oh, I just _know_ Daddy's gonna win - "

Lucy laughed. "Well, we'll see. Gray's strong, too, you know."

"He has ice for brains and he's a pathetic snowflake!" Nashi recited dutifully, finishing off with a scowl.

The blong summoner groaned at that. "Just _what_ has your father been telling you..." she mumbled under her breath, just quiet enough for Nashi not to hear.

"It's starting!" the young dragonslayer yelped, grabbing onto Lucy's arm. "Mama, they're about to start! Ohhh, I'm so excited..."

Lucy smiled, putting her arm around her daughter's shoulders.

"And so am I."

... ... ...

 **Ridiculously short, but I'll post an immediate follow-up of this tomorrow, don't worry! This was inspired by a fanfiction called Down the Line about Pokemon fanchildren, and you simply MUST read it! :3**

 **Mira: Is Gray still spoiling everyone's fun?**

 **Gray: *is throwing out confetti into trash can***

 **Wendy: YES. *scowl***


	150. Down the Line Part Two

**It's Day 150, guys!**

 **Mira: YAY! *throws confetti***

 **Gray: ...**

 **Mira: *gives Wendy the confetti bag and pins Gray to the wall* *growls* Don't you dare spoil our fun today! *glare***

 **Gray: ... *gulps***

 **Wendy: Yaaay! *throws more confetti***

 **Day One Hundred Fifty**

 **Down the Line Part Two**

Natsu's fists lit up in flames the moment the timer started, and he leaped at Gray, roaring with excitement. His first punch missed as Gray nimbly dodged, but the second landed a perfect hit.

Gray grunted in annoyance, barely fazed by the attack, as he grabbed Natsu by the arm and slammed him into the ground. Natsu, however, rolled with the force of it, immediately leaping back to his feet.

"Not too shabby, Ice Princess," he complimented.

"You're not so bad yourself, Flame Brains," Gray returned.

Natsu's fists once more lit up with fire as he grinned. "But I hope you know you're about to get pounded real good," he continued, and Gray raised an eyebrow.

"On the contrary," the ice mage pointed out, frost swirling across his skin, "I think it's the other way around.

And as if on cue, they charged once more.

... ... ...

Nashi's eyes were round as saucers as she stated in amazement at the battle before her.

"Daddy's so strong," she whispered.

"Aye!" Happy agreed, flying in little circles around Nashi's head. "He's the best wizard ever!"

"Uh-huh!" Nashi agreed, nodding her head fiercely. "The very best!"

Lucy laughed. "Want to cheer for him, sweetie?"

Nashi gasped. "Oh!" she cried. "I have to cheer! That's right! Daddy told me he can't win if I don't cheer," she added seriously, before proceeding to stand up on her chair.

"GOOOOOO DADDY!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, leaping up and down on her seat. "GO, GO, GO!"

... ... ...

Juvia's hand rested on her daughter Ur's as the little girl gazed, transfixed, at the battle in front of them. She stared wordlessly, eyes flicking back and forth across the field in an attempt to keep up with Natsu and Gray.

The fight was a storm of fire and ice, dancing and leaping in all directions as fists flew and two wizards clashed again and again.

Blue's gaze, meanwhile, was narrow, his brow furrowed. He was trying to take in every detail, lock it away in his memory to keep forever and look back on. A battle between his father and his father's rival. A true showcase of raw power and the grace of a true wizard duel. An exemplary clash that deserved to be remembered.

"Go, Dad!" Blue called, finally managing to find his voice. He yelled louder, as loud as he could manage, so his dad would know he was cheering.

"GO!"

... ... ...

"And that's all, ladies and gentlemen! The five minutes are up, and tonight's exhibition match has ended in a draw - and what a match it was!"

Natsu cast Gray a toothy smile from across the arena.

"Nice job, for a Snowflake," he commented casually.

"I'm surprised an ashno-brainer idiot like you managed to fight so well," Gray returned.

And as if on cue, they grinned at one another, shot each other a thumbs up, and turned to exit the fighting arena.

... ... ...

Lucy smiled, her hand resting on her chest.

"Natsu..."

... ... ...

 **More shortness, but I'm tiiiiiiired... anyway, I'll finish up this little 3-part story tomorrow.**

 **Mira: So much ACTION and FIGHTING! Woo!**

 **Gray: I would totally have beaten Natsu, no question...**

 **Wendy: Nashi and Ur were cute. :3**

 **And guys, don't forget, check out my tumblr at .com! ;D See ya tomorrow!**


	151. Down the Line Part Three

**Herrow friends!**

 **It's Day 151, and here's the third installment of my little Down the Line mini-fic!**

 **Wendy: Yaaayyy! Time for more NaBlue, right?**

 **Mirajane: Well, I would hope so... *casually sharpens claws***

 **U-um... *sweatdrops* R-right...**

 **Day One Hundred Fifty-One**

 **Down the Line Part Three**

Nashi's eyes were alight as she skipped through the crowded stands. People were pushing and shoving each other, trying to leave as fast as possible, if only to avoid traffic on the way out of Crocus.

The Games had ended for the day, and Fairy Tail had, as was the usual, begun at the bottom. It had become something of a ritual in the guild. Every GMG, they started off at the very bottom of the bunch, usually with little to no points, and by the end they had won by a landslide. It wasn't that they tried to make it happened; it was more like it just always turned out that way and they had become used to it.

Lucy smiled at the thought. Natsu and Gray were not participating in the games, nor were Lucy or Juvia, which came as a shock to many. But they did have families to look after, and since they were four of the "usual" participants, they had collectively made the decision to let a few of the newer, upstart members have a shot at the Games.

Erza, Gajeel, and Laxus were still on the team. Wendy, all grown up now with killer amazing magic, was also on the team. And Romeo, his fire magic well-developed and strong, was the final member. The sub for the team was Marcia, a girl who had joined about two years earlier, and used a magical sword along with stat enhancing spells to fight physically.

"That was amazing!" Nashi was saying excitedly, hopping up and down. "Mama, the Games were so cool... isn't it funny how Fairy Tail always starts out with almost zero points?" She giggled.

"It sure is," Lucy agreed. "But we always win in the end!"

She winked at her daughter, who attempted to wink back, and really just ended up blinking with both eyes.

"Well," Nashi said cheerfully, "I think the coolest part of the whole think was the beginning, with Daddy and Uncle Gray!"

Lucy smiled warmly.

"You know, Nashi," she replied, "I think that was my favorite part, too."

... ... ...

Blue stuck close to his mother and sister as they waded through the crowd, his eyes scanning the mass of bodies for a certain curly pink head.

He'd been hoping it see her after the battle, because what with all the rushing around every one was doing, and the hassle of the Games, he hadn't seen much of her lately. Blue knew the chance was slim that he'd manage to find Nashi in the huge crowd, but he hoped he might.

Then he heard a familiar voice calling his name...

"Blue!"

Th boy turned around quickly, and he smirked when he saw Nashi running towards him, dragging her mom by the arm. Happy flew over their heads.

"Hey, Pinky," he greeted, still smirking, and Nashi scowled.

"Hi, Snowflake," she grumbled, upbeat demeanor fading for a moment, but it returned in a flash. "Hey, wasn't that battle cool?"

He didn't need to ask which one she was talking about. It was obvious. Blue smirked. "Of course it was!"

As Lucy and Juvia got into a conversation if their own, Ur timidly came over to join them. "I thought Daddy and Uncle Natsu were both really strong," she said, eyes lighting up. "They fought really well."

"Dad was stronger," Blue said, crossing his arms. "Of course."

Nashi glared at him. "My Daddy was actually stronger," she retorted. "Fire beats ice all the time! Besides, he's a _dragon!"_

"Your dad's human," Blue argued. "His magic doesn't make him a dragon."

Lucy caught this comment, and her breath caught, unnoticed by anyone. Human... technically, though, he wasn't...

She shook that off. Now was not the time.

Ur opened her mouth to interrupt that the match had ended in a draw and that would suggest that their fathers were equally strong, but seeing how heated Nashi and Blue's argument was getting, she clamped it shut.

Oh well.

It's not like they ever listened to logic anyway...

Ur giggled to herself. They were so alike, yet so different; that was why they were so cute together, and definitely a focus of most the ridiculous fantasies she had heard Lisa and Marley come up with.

"Ur!" Nashi finally exploded in the younger girl's direction. "HOW DO YOU PUT UP WITH THIS SNOWY STINKHEAD ALL THE TIME?!"

Ur grinned, a mischievous feeling overtaking her typically shy nature. "Well," she said as innocently as possible, "you're going to have to figure that out yourself."

"Whaddaya _mean,_ I - "

" - when you're married," Ur finished with a satisfied smile.

And she knew that the look on Nashi's and Blue's faces was definitely worth the furious, flustered yelling.

... ... ...

 **Okay, there you are! The last bit of Down the Line, with plenty of NaBlue fluff.**

 **Gray: *gags***

 **Mirajane and Wendy: *squeal* YAY!**

 **By the way, don't forget to check out the inspiration behind this, Pokémon: Down the Line! It's a super amazing, well thought out, and cute fanfic, and any Pokémon anime fan should totally check it out!**


	152. Glow

**Something short today... sorry it's so late at night DX**

 **Day One Hundred Fifty-Two**

"Here, Luce," Natsu said cheerfully, dumping a pile of glow sticks into her arms. "There you go!"

"Eek!" Lucy shrieked in reply, dropping them. "Natsu! Where did you get all those?!"

"Oh, I nicked 'em from a stand over there," the pink-haired boy replied with a shrug.

"You _stole_ them?" Lucy cried, incredulous.

"I didn't mean 'nicked' like that!" Natsu protested. "I don't steal." He pouted.

"Fine, fine," she sighed, waving it off. "I'm sorry. But seriously, why did you buy all of these?!" She knelt down beside the enormous pile of multicolored glow sticks.

Natsu rolled his eyes. "For fun, duh! We can wave 'em around and stuff while the fireworks go off."

Lucy laughed; Natsu's childishness could at times be aggravating, but more often it was endearing.

"Okay," she agreed. "Now help me pick these up."

"Sir, yes, sir!" Natsu gave her a salute.

 _"Natsu!"_

... ... ...

Natsu watched Lucy as she waved her handful of glow sticks in the air, laughing and jumping up and down. Fireworks rocketed into the sky above them, and he grinned.

She didn't even need the luminescent sticks.

To Natsu, Lucy glowed brighter than anything, all on her own.

... ... ...

 **This is so short. All of my one-shots these past couple days have been so short... ;-; I feel guilty.**

 **Mira: Well, they're not all THAT short...**

 **YES THEY AAAARRRRREEEEE *cries* FORGIVE ME**


	153. AU: The Princess and the Dragon, Part 3

**Howdy folks! Today I'm finally going to finish my Princess and the Dragon AU... Part Two was way back on Day 45... and I never wrapped it up with Part Three so here it is!**

 **Day One Hundred Fifty-Three**

 **AU: The Princess and the Dragon, Part Three**

Quiet.

She had to stay quiet.

Soft footsteps. Silent breathing. Not a word, even in whispers, as she quickly undid the lock on Natsu's cell. Lucy had felt along the wall to reach the cell where the dragons were being kept, forgoing a torch; she didn't want anyone to know of her letting Natsu and Wendy out, not even the other prisoners.

It wasn't to avoid punishment for Lucy later. It was to avoid getting caught in the act. Once they were safely out of her father's kingdom, Lucy didn't care who knew that it was she who had freed them. But if anyone knew now, they could tip off a guard and her entire plan could come crashing down around her.

And if that happened...

Well, she would lose all hope of rescuing Natsu or Wendy.

"Luce," Natsu had breathed the moment he smelled her presence and heard the quiet _click_ of the lock. The lighting was so dim, it was nigh impossible to see anything; it may as well have been pitch dark.

But Natsu's enhanced senses easily made him aware of her as she deftly unlocked the door with her stolen key and opened it just slightly. They both cringed when its hinges squeaked.

Natsu picked the sleeping Wendy up in his arms and swiftly crossed the cell to the door. As he stepped out into the dark hallway, Lucy pressed her lips to his hear and breathed, "Hurry."

He nodded curtly, holding Wendy closer to his chest.

... ... ...

The last possible resort, if they were caught, was for Natsu to go into his dragon form and fight his way out.

But he was only sixteen and as such had not fully matured; he was not at full strength, and the King's armies were numberless. Despite Natsu's great power as a fire dragon, they didn't seem to have the best chances against the soldiers of Lucy's father.

"Well, if you had wings," Lucy muttered under her breath, "we could just fly out."

Natsu raised an eyebrow at her. "Wings?"

"In all the stories my mother used to tell me, dragons had wings."

Natsu laughed. It wasn't loud and boisterous like the one she was used to, of course - he had to be quiet, after all - but it was something.

"Well, I certainly don't have any wings," he informed her. "Besides, do you really think _anything_ could lift my Dragon form into the air? Last I checked, I weigh around a ton."

Lucy giggled, and they shared one happy, companionable moment, as they walked through the dank corridors of the underground dungeon.

Then they turned a corner and came face-to-face with a guard.

... ... ...

"Are you sure it's a good idea?" Lucy hissed.

"I'm sure," Natsu snapped in reply. "He'll stay down for a good hour or two, that's plenty of time!"

They were running through the dungeon now, leaving behind them an unconscious guard.

"Now stop questioning me," Natsu added angrily. "Just because you're a princess doesn't mean you're superior, you know!"

At this, Lucy froze in place.

Natsu turned back to her, irritated. "Lucy, what - "

"I've never thought I was superior to you," she interrupted quietly.

Natsu paused.

"Okay," he said finally, gritting his teeth. "You're right. There's no way you'd think that." He leaned in close and left a feathery kiss on her forehead. "Now come on. I want to be out of here by the time Wendy wakes up." He nodded to the small blue-haired girl in his arms.

"Right," Lucy agreed, reaching out to brush her hand against his. "Let's go."

And they set off running once more.

... ... ...

 _"Is that the Dragon?"_

 _"Both of them!"_

 _"And the princess!"_

 _"Soldiers, attack! Don't let them get away!"_

 _... ... ..._

"Luce, you have to take Wendy! I'll fight them!"

"No! I'm going to fight by your side, Natsu."

His onyx eyes widened at that, meeting her chocolate orbs, which watered with tears.

"I'll fight by your side forever," she promised.

And she meant every word.

... ... ...

 _"Lucy!"_

His voice was hoarse, his tone desperate. He had just beaten several soldiers, and more had yet to pounce upon him, but his gaze was focused on something behind the blond princess.

She turned to him, brown eyes wide. He was running towards her, clearly terrified.

 _"Get down!"_

She didn't move, frozen with shock, and he arrived just in time to shove her to the ground...

As the arrow pierced deep into his chest.

 _"Natsu!"_ she screamed. _"NATSU!"_

And then he fell.

... ... ...

 **Okay, I'm gonna be a meanie and -**

 **Mira: DON'T YOU FRIGGIN END IT LIKE THAT YOU HORRIBLE PERSON**

 **Wendy: NOOOOOOOOOO**

 **Gray: *glares***

 **\- and make you wait until the fourth installment to wrap up this cliffhanger and end this AU!**

 **Mira: Why is it that you keep putting the end of this one off...**


	154. Christmas Eve-Eve

**Huge thanks to TokyoTeddyWolf and Fallen Sea for ruining two of my reviews pages with exceptionally long "NOOOOOOOO"s! :D**

 **Gray: ...that was sarcasm, wasn't it?**

 **Yep! XD I was honestly quite pleased/amused with the amount of screaming and crying, etc., that you guys gave me...**

 **Mira: *mutters* Sadist.**

 **Day One Hundred Fifty-Four**

 **Last Minute Shopping**

 _"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"_

Lucy cringed at the shrill screaming that echoed through her apartment. She'd just been chatting casually with Erza when, out of the blue, the redhead leaped up and _shrieked._

"Erza!" Lucy cried, bewildered. "What on Earthland - ?!"

"I'VE FORGOTTEN! OH NO! THIS IS HORRIBLE! DREADFUL! I FEEL SO ASHAMED!"

"Um, Erza - "

"LUCY, YOU ARE WELCOME TO PUNCH ME NOW AS PUNISHMENT FOR MY SHAMEFUL ACTIONS."

"U-uh..." Lucy sweatdropped nervously, waving it off. "No, no... seriously, what did you do?"

"It's not what I _did,"_ Erza stressed. "It's what I _didn't_ do."

"Aaaand..." Lucy drawled, expecting a far clearer answer. "That would beeeee...?"

Erza reached out and shook Lucy's shoulders, bawling, _"I FORGOT TO BUY CHRISTMAS PRESENTS!"_

... ... ...

"How did you _forget?"_ Lucy cried, exasperated, as they walked briskly down the street. "Now we have to buy Christmas presents for everyone in the whole guild - "

"Oh, no, no!" Erza said quickly, eyes widening. "That would be _far_ worse... no, I only forgot a few. Natsu's and Jellal's, I believe..." She paused for a moment, deep in thought. "And... Warren and Max and Kinana and Max's broom and Jet and Droy and Macao and Wakaba and all the other side characters."

"Side characters?" Lucy blinked in surprise.

"Nothing, nothing," Erza corrected herself quickly. "But... I suppose that _is_ a lot... well, at least it's not the whole guild, like you said! Now, let's get to shopping!"

... ... ...

Natsu, meanwhile, gazed with slightly narrowed eyes as Lucy tagged along with Erza. Happy was out fishing, so this mission was up to him, and him alone.

"Right," he mumbled, grinning to himself. "Operation Gift Lucy, start."

... ... ...

Two hours later, Erza and Lucy weren't even close to success.

Not a single present they had found had been deemed worthy by Erza. Apparently, a gift simply could not be bought if it wasn't "perfect" in every way, shape, and form - and Erza's idea of "perfect" was certainly a difficult bill to fit.

"How about this?" Lucy offered, holding up a dark red sweater with flames on it, the Fairy Tail insignia embroidered on each shoulder. "Natsu would love it!"

"Natsu doesn't wear sweaters," Erza replied, shooting down the idea. Lucy pouted. Then her eyes widened with glee...

Looking up to be sure Erza wasn't looking, Lucy tucked the sweater into her _own_ shopping bag.

... ... ...

Seeing Lucy exit the store she'd just been in, Natsu pushed open the doors and stepped inside.

He thought he'd seen her eyeing that shelf over there...

... ... ...

Despite the unsuccessful first couple of hours, it wasn't long after that when Lucy and Erza stumbled across a real gem of a store, filled to the brim with promising merchandise.

Erza had squealed a little "kya!" the moment she laid eyes on the place (Lucy sweatdropped) and rushed right in.

Only a half hour later, they edited laden with shopping bags.

 _A successful trip, no doubt,_ Lucy decided, smiling to herself.

Not far off, holding a small box close to his chest, Natsu grinned and came to the same conclusion.

... ... ...

 **There you are, fluff to compensate for yesterday...**

 **So, Merry Christmas Eve-Eve! And tomorrow, as a gift to all my loyal, amazing, devoted readers and reviewers, I will wrap up the Princess and the Dragon AU with a good 2,000-plus words... I promise. ;D**

 **Mira: *glares* I'm still mad about yesterday.**

 **Wendy: *tries to glare but really just ends up looking adorable* We'll hold you it!**


	155. Christmas Eve

**Hoi friends... IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE ERMAGERSHHHHHHHHHHH**

 **Mira: *cheers***

 **AND IT'S LATE AT NIGHT WHERE I AM SO IT'S PRACTICALLY ALMOST CHRISTMAS ALREADY**

 **Gray: You forgot punctuation there.**

 ***scowls* Gray! Where's your excitement?!**

 **Gray: ... *deadpan stare***

 **Day One Hundred Fifty-Five**

 **Christmas Eve**

Christmas Eve was the official "Wrapping Day" for Fairy Tail. All of its members had gathered in the guild hall to collect wrapping paper, ribbon, etc., before heading off to their homes to wrap their guild members' presents in secret.

Lucy, however, was unaware of this tradition. She had already wrapped her presents - to include the fiery sweater she had bought for Natsu yesterday - and so she decided to head around asking her friends if they needed help.

Erza was adamant about Lucy not peeking. "YOU MUSN'T SEE ANY OF THEM!" she cried, blocking the doorway to her apartment at Fairy Hills. "NONE! IT'S A SURPRISE FOR EVERYONE!"

"Er... right," Lucy said, sweatdropping.

Wendy, however, was far more open. "Hi Lucy-san," the young blunette said cheerfully. "I've already wrapped yours, but I don't mind if you see the others."

She was welcomed in, and helped Wendy finish wrapping the rest of her presents. The paper she used was adorable, and she was rather good at wrapping each present neatly. With both of them working, they were done fairly quickly.

"Thank you," Wendy called happily as Lucy left.

"No problem!" Lucy returned, smiling.

Mirajane and Lisanna said they were fine and didn't need any help, but they offered her a tray of cookies. Lucy took one gratefully.

Levy said she'd rather surprise everyone (though she wasn't _quite_ as adamant as Erza was about it).

Cana was passed out on her couch. Lucy wondered how on earth she would be able to wrap her presents in time for tomorrow...

Finally, Lucy left Fairy Hills and headed for the very edge of Magnolia. There was an excited bounce in her step as she hurried to a certain special dragonslayer's house...

"Natsu," Lucy called, pushing open the door. She didn't ever bother to knock on his door anymore; after all, it wasn't like he had any manners around her...

"Luce!" Natsu cried, eyes widening. "Thank Mavis!" He leaped to his feet and rushed over to her. "I need help!" he pleaded.

"I can tell," Lucy replied, amused. "Actually, I think _anyone_ could tell."

It was true: Natsu's house was a mess of wrapping paper, tape, and ribbon, to add to the dirty socks and things normally strewn about. Lucy sighed.

"Don't worry," she promised him. "I'll help you out."

... ... ...

It took longer than it should have, due to Natsu's antics, but within three hours all the gifts for their guild members were wrapped. None of them looked like the perfect wrapping job, but it was done, and Natsu was pleased enough.

"Thanks, Luce," he said, grinning toothily.

"No problem, Natsu." She smiled and took his hand. "After all, what are friends for?"

... ... ...

 **More fluff, and tomorrow will be exciting for sure. ;3**

 **Also, because I'm feeling spontaneous, here's a question: If you were to buy gifts for the members of Fairy Tail, what would you get? :D**

 **Mira: Ooooooohhhhhh...**

 **Wendy: ^.^ See you tomorrow, readers~!**


	156. CHRISTMAS FRIGGIN' MORNING

**I JUST REALIZED I LEGIT FORGOT TO POST YESTERDAY**

 **I PROMISE YOU ALL! I wrote it! I wrote the chapter and it was beautiful! AND I FORGOT TO CLICK THE POST BUTTON.**

 **I feel like a failure at life...**

 **Wendy: ...are you gonna a write a Christmas chapter today though?**

 ***sigh* Indeed I am...**

 **Day One Hundred Fifty-Six**

 **CHRISTMAS FRIGGIN' MORNING**

"LUCY!"

The blond leaped up out of bed, shrieking in surprise.

"Finally, you're up!" cheered an irritatingly familiar voice.

"Aye, you sleep like a dog!" added another, also irritatingly familiar voice.

Lucy gritted her teeth. "You two," she hissed, turning on her heel to face Natsu and Happy, " _woke me up_ at this _unearthly hour_ " - she didn't actually know what time it was, but she didn't care - "by screaming in my ear, for _WHAT EXACTLY?!"_

However, the cheerful duo were entirely unfazed by her anger. Rather, they chose to yell right back, reminding Lucy of something she had certainly forgotten.

"IT'S CHRISTMAS FRIGGIN' MORNING!"

... ... ...

"Hurry up, Luce," Natsu whined, banging on Lucy's bathroom door. "Get dressed already!"

"Give me a minute," Lucy replied, frustrated by his childish impatience. "I want to make sure I look at least _somewhat_ presentable - "

"Stop fishing your makeup and come on," Happy interrupted. "No one ever tries to look _'presentable'_ at the guild on Christmas morning. Not even Mirajane!"

There was a pause.

Then, timidly, Lucy pushed open the door.

"...are you sure?"

"Yep!" Natsu said confidently, followed by an "Aye!" from Happy, and Lucy finally agreed.

"Let's go, then," she said cheerfully, feeling a tad bit insecure without any kind of makeup, hair products, or even a shower that morning.

But she followed Natsu and Happy out into the snowy street anyway.

... ... ...

"Hi, everyone!" Lucy called as they entered the guild, receiving a chorus of "hello"s in return.

Levy raced up to her, and they clasped hands excitedly.

"Lu-chan, I got you the _best_ gift," Levy gushed. "This is going to be the best Christmas _ever!"_

"Oh, Levy-chan, your gift from me is so amazing," Lucy replied, eyes lighting up. "You're going to scream when you open it!"

Levy squealed a little. "Yay!" she cried, then reached out and grabbed Lucy's arm. "Come on - we all have to gather around the tree!"

... ... ...

"Right," said Master Makarov, smiling broadly. "I see we've all gathered around the tree... Let me just say, I'm so thankful for all you brats, and I'm glad we can take this time to gather as a family."

He waved his hand dismissively. "Now have at it!"

The gifts had been split into piles, one for each person, and Lucy quickly found hers. She took her time in opening each one (unlike Natsu, who tore all of his open in under two minutes).

There was a bronze hilted dagger from Erza which would likely come in handy, and Lucy was touched at how the redhead had thoughtfully picked out one with a patterned key design on the handle. From Mirajane, there was a cupcake recipe book and decorating kit, which Lucy could definitely use at home.

From Lisanna, there was a cute silver bracelet with a Fairy Tail charm on it. From Wendy, there was a box of gourmet chocolates. From Juvia, there was a beautiful lavender scented candle amd a card that read "Stay away from Gray-sama." (Lucy was just grateful for the lack of death threats.)

From Levy, though...

The petite blunette has gotten Lucy a notebook with a special spell on it: it would never get any bigger or heavier, but it would never run out of blank pages.

"Thank you so much, Levy-chan," Lucy cried eyes wide and sparkling. "This is perfect!"

Levy only winked and held up the gift given to her by Lucy: a pen that, at the press of a button, transformed into a magical whip much like Lucy's own.

"Hey... Luce?"

Lucy's thoughts were interrupted by a very familiar voice behind her.

"Natsu?" She asked, turning around curiously.

"I, um - I got you a present," he mumbled, shoving it out towards her.

It was clumsily wrapped, but Lucy realized that it must have been the only one he wrapped on his own; she had helped with all the rest. She smiled, taking it.

"Thank you," she said quietly, handing him her gift.

Natsu looked confused. "But you already got me one," he said, frowning. "The awesome sweater!"

Lucy giggled. "This one's the special one," she informed him. He grinned in reply.

And together, they opened their gifts from each other.

... ... ...

 **I'm gonna let you all fill in whatever gifts you think would be perfect for Natsu and Lucy's. ;3 I couldn't decide what to use, so, I'm letting you guys do it!**

 **Mirajane: Tell us what you think Natsu and Lucy got each other, and what YOU think their reaction should be. :D**

 **Gray: See ya, readers.**

 **Wendy: Bye-bye! ^.^**


	157. The Princess and the Dragon AU, p4

**Okay, so I know I have not yet updated in four days. You all are probably upset, but I feel it's for good reason.**

 **I wanted each and every one of the following chapters to be completely perfect. So I took my time. These five chapters consist of:**

 **\- wrap up for the Princess and the Dragon AU**

 **\- continuation of the Little Natsu and Lucy AU**

 **\- Facebook Insanity**

 **\- some drabbly flangstiness**

 **\- and crackish fluff.**

 **So here they are, guys - by popular demand, some chapters you all have been clamoring for, all longer than my usual length, and hopefully better quality! I hope they meet your standards!**

 **Day One Hundred Fifty-Seven**

 **AU: The Princess and the Dragon**

 **Part Four**

 _Ba-bump._

 _Ba-bump._

Lucy pressed her hand over Natsu's chest, shoulders sagging in relief when she felt his heartbeat. Her hand brushed against the arrow by mistake, and his body twitched in pain. The blond drew in a sharp breath.

 _Ba-bump._

 _Ba-bump._

It had hit him just to the left of his heart; thankfully not a kill shot, but still dangerous. He might make it if she worked fast enough...

Lucy didn't know what had happened after he'd been shot. It was all in a haze, but she did remember grabbing a fallen soldier's sword... she must have been a sight, the princess of Fiore in old, dirty clothing, blood staining the hem of her dress, wielding a sword as if she had done the same all her life.

Any other time, Lucy might have laughed at the thought, but she couldn't afford that now.

After tearing the sleeves of her dress into strips, Lucy eased the arrow out of Natsu's chest before quickly pressing the cloth strips over it. Natsu twitched again, letting out an involuntary cry in his half-conscious state.

"A-ah!" he gasped, and Lucy felt tears well in her eyes. She leaned down to plant a feathery kiss on his forehead.

"It's okay," she murmured, tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks. "I promise, you'll be okay..."

"Lucy," he mumbled, relaxing slightly. "L-Luce..."

She bit back more tears and continued to work. Cleanse the wound. Don't think about him, his smile, his eyes, his trust in her, the blood soaking his clothing...

Don't think about it. Just cleanse the wound.

Lucy had to keep telling herself that.

... ... ...

Lucy didn't know much about medical procedures, but she definitely knew Natsu should not be bleeding this much.

She pressed more cloth onto the wound, but it didn't seem to be doing much good. Maybe she should have left the arrow in...

Lucy shook her head fiercely. What's done was done. Now she had to make the best of her situation. Somewhere in the middle of Crocus Forest with a Dragon who'd been shot in the chest and his sleeping little sister, feeling more alone in the world than she ever had before...

"Nnnn? Where...?"

Lucy's eyes widened. "Wendy," she breathed, for it was the young blunette who had spoken. She sat up, clearly groggy, and yawned. "Lucy..."

Her eyes landed on Natsu, lying motionless with blood-soaked clothing, and her expression morphed into one of absolute horror.

"No," she choked out. "N-Natsu!"

Wendy stumbled over to her older brother, tears forming in her eyes. "No..."

"It's okay," Lucy said quickly, reaching out and wrapping Wendy in a tight embrace. "It's okay... he's alive, Wendy, he's going to be fine..."

As if on cue, Natsu let out a shuddering gasp before falling still once more.

More tears leaked from Wendy's eyes. "But... how?" she whispered. "Wh-what happened to him?"

"Shot," Lucy muttered, looking away. "An arrow. He was..." She swallowed thickly. "He was protecting m-me."

She hung her head and braced herself for the cries of "It was your fault," but she should have known better. Instead, Wendy wrapped her arms around Lucy and hugged her.

"I know some herbal remedies that will slow the bleeding and fight infection," she said, pulling back. "I'll go collect the stuff for it. K-keep that wound covered."

Lucy nodded, wiping her eyes.

Natsu sure had one amazing little sister.

... ... ...

 _Lucy._

 _Wendy._

The only two people he cared about anymore - the only ones left for him to care about - and the two names he clung to with all he had.

It was all Natsu could do to hold on, to keep from falling into the endless black abyss below him. Every time doubts crossed his mind, wonderings, ideas, and "what if"s... every time, he would tighten his grip on those two names.

 _Wendy._

 _Lucy._

They loved him. They cared about him.

He couldn't let himself fall into the abyss. He couldn't give up now. They were counting on him, they cared about him, and they loved him.

 _Lucy._

 _Wendy._

His little sister.

The girl for whom he had fallen.

Both of them held a place in his heart that was saved for no one else, and both were precious to him.

Keep holding on... _Keep holding on..._

 _Wendy..._

 _Lucy..._

Natsu's grip tightened. No way was he letting go now.

... ... ...

"Okay," Wendy instructed, holding out a small bowl of a thick greenish brown paste. "Hold this." Lucy did. It had a strange aroma to it - sort of minty, sort of fruity - which was actually very refreshing.

Wendy put two fingers into the bowl and then began dabbing the stuff on Natsu's wound, gently peeling off the bandages as she went.

"Okay," she said once she was finished. She tore off the sleeves of her own dress and carefully applied them in place of the bandages Lucy had used, which were now stained a dark reddish-brown. "I think... I think he'll be okay. Th-that medicine will stop the bleeding..."

Her voice was wobbling ever so slightly, and it broke Lucy's heart to see how hard the young girl was trying not to cry.

"Come here, Wendy," the blond whispered, pulling the blunette into a tight embrace.

It was only now that Wendy began to cry, sobs racking her small body as she clung to Lucy like a lifeline.

"I-It's not f-fair," she sobbed. "Why? Why do they - they not _realize?_ They say dragons are bad, but we've never h-hurt _anyone,_ and now - now they've gone and _shot him!"_ Tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked up at Lucy, whimpering, "They're worse than _any_ Dragon."

Lucy hardly knew what to say to this. She agreed with every word Wendy had said, but how do you comfort a girl so desolate and broken by the world around her? How do you tell her that everything will be alright when you know it probably won't be?

Lucy didn't know.

So she did the only thing she could. She stroked Wendy's hair gently, whispering empty promises that things would turn out alright, and hoped that her false words might somehow be a comfort.

... ... ...

The first thing Natsu saw was darkness.

He opened his eyes and that's all there was. An abyss of pitch dark, blacker even than in the dungeon he'd been holed up in for so long, and of course the first thing he wondered was if he was dead.

He tried to move and groaned in pain. There was a throbbing, piercing agony in his chest, as if somebody had stabbed him or shot him or -

 _Oh._

He _had_ been shot, hadn't he?

So... he really _was_ dead, then...?

Natsu closed his eyes tightly, then opened them again, but this time it was different. He saw stars, twinkling down at him from the sky above...

That was when his senses really began to work again, and he came to the conclusion that, no, he was not dead.

Attempting to ignore the sharp pain in his chest, Natsu sat up, wincing with each small movement. He glanced around. Lucy and Wendy were sitting by what looked like a rather hastily-made campfire a few yards away.

Just at that moment, Wendy looked up. Their gazes locked for a moment.

Then the young girl's jaw dropped, her eyes filled with tears, and she cried, "Lucy! Natsu's awake!"

Lucy looked up too and froze for a moment. "Oh my gosh," she gasped, voice shaking, as the two rushed over, half-stumbling, to wrap him in a big bear hug.

"You're awake," Wendy breathed. "You're alive..."

"Thank Mavis," Lucy murmured, taking in everything about him: his ruffled pink hair, his bright grin, his warmth, his unique scent.

She was never going to take him for granted again.

Natsu hugged them back, still grimacing slightly at the pain. Even though they were more gentle than usual, the hug still hurt his injury.

Pulling back, Natsu sighed, falling back onto the sleeping bag they had laid him on. It was under the thick, leafy cover of a tree with low-hanging branches.

"An arrow in the chest hurts," he said finally, making both Lucy and Wendy burst out laughing.

"I'm serious!" he complained. "Stop laughing!"

"Fine, fine, Captain Obvious," Lucy giggled.

The comment just made Wendy start laughing all over again, and Natsu eventually gave p his protests. He sat back, gazing with a tender expression at the two people who meant most to him in the entire world.

Natsu felt a tickling, fuzzy sensation on the back of his neck, and turned to see Happy, purring and rubbing up against his cheek as he stood on Natsu's shoulder, tail swishing back and forth. The pink-haired Dragon grinned, reaching up to scratch Happy behind the ears.

Maybe life wasn't perfect. Maybe it kinda sucked sometimes. But right here in this moment, Natsu wouldn't have his life any other way.

... ... ...

"You're saying you _failed_ to recapture the two Dragons?" the tall blond man boomed. "There are hundreds of you! _Thousands!"_

"Th-they were too quick," the guard captain blubbered. "And stronger than - than any number of us."

That was not what Kind Jude Heartfilia wanted to hear, but he attempted to quench his anger. "And what of my daughter?" he asked in a dangerously calm voice.

"She - she escaped with them, sir," the captain replied, wincing. "Injured a great number of our men as well. She was - she was _frightening,_ your Highness."

Jude was silent for a long moment. Then he stood, turning so his back was facing the captain.

"Leave. You are dismissed from your position. You may return home, and ensure that I never again see your face within these walls."

The guard was shocked. "B-but sir - "

 _"GO!"_

... ... ...

Lucy gazed down at the city of Crocus. From only a few miles high, the entire city, the place where she'd lived her whole life, was suddenly nothing; its size couldn't compare to the rest of the land stretching in all directions, the world beyond the horizons that she hadn't even yet seen.

"It's so... tiny," she breathed, crouching down and peering over the edge of the cliff.

Natsu caught her by the arm, pulling her back. "Don't lean too far forward," he teased. "It's be a pain to have to fly down and catch you." He winked.

"I know, I know, dragons don't have wings," Lucy replied, rolling her eyes. "Are you ever going to let that go?"

It was around ten o'clock in the morning. They had cleared up their campsite, and Natsu had led them on a trek through the forest until they found an enormous clearing. Nearby was a large cliff, overlooking the entire city of Crocus, and more beyond that.

And needless to say, it was an amazing view.

"Nope," Natsu responded to her question. "But, hey, Luce... the reason I brought you up here..."

He stepped closer to her, resting one hand on her shoulder and using the other to gesture across the view before them.

"Tell me where you want to go," he whispered, "and I'll take you there. You, me, and Wendy. We can do anything - we can go anywhere - and it's all up to you, Luce. I'd go _anywhere_ with you."

She pressed a kiss to his cheek. She glanced back at Wendy, picking a bouquet of daffodils while Charle sat on her lap, then up at Natsu.

"Somewhere far away," she said, laughing lightly. "Surprise me!"

Natsu grinned.

"I think I can do that."

She hugged him, still gentle of the wound on his chest. "As soon as you're all healed up, of course," she added. "I don't want you jaunting around and reinjuring yourself..."

"But Luuuuce, I'm fine!" he protested.

"You most certainly are _not!"_

"Ughhh..."

"Oh, Natsu. Just take a few days' rest, alright?"

"..fine..."

As the two continued to exchange playful banter, Wendy looked up and smiled. Right here, in this perfect moment, she wouldn't trade this life for anything.


	158. AU: Little Natsu and Lucy, p7

**Here you are. I've worked super hard on this, so I hope it's worth it, and I hope it lives up to the previous chapters of this AU!**

 **Note: In case you've forgotten, in this AU, Natsu and Lucy met as kids, and Lucy ended up going to Edolas instead of Lisanna. Just as a refresher. ;)**

 **Day One Hundred Fifty-Eight**

 **AU: Little Natsu and Lucy, Part Something **

**Let's Go With Seven**

 **Yeah, I Think That Sounds Right**

Lucy didn't know how or why she ended up here. All she knew was that it wasn't her world at all.

It couldn't be, could it? These animals and plants... they were nothing like she'd seen before. The floating islands and rivers... the way soldiers patrolled every town she had passed through... it was all unfamiliar and wrong.

At one point, it had seemed like one of the soldiers recognized her. He'd pointed, shouted something to the other men with him, and suddenly they were rushing at her... but before they could blink, Lucy had pulled out her fleuve d'etoiles, and needless to say she had them down in an instant.

Eventually, though, she came upon the one place she'd known all her life, the one familiar thing in the midst of this strangeness.

Her home.

Fairy Tail.

Lucy nearly cried in relief as she rushed up to the doors of the guild hall. It looked like nothing she'd seen before, but that didn't matter. It was in the middle of nowhere for some reason, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was the insignia hanging from a banner over the doorway. The symbol of hope and family that Lucy had counted on since she was six years old.

The Fairy Tail insignia.

That was all Lucy needed to see, and suddenly she was at the doors, knocking and crying, and then the doors were opening, and everyone was shouting and crying "Lucy's back! Lucy's home, she's alive!"

And that was all Lucy needed in that moment.

* * *

In the moments after that, though, it was clear to see that this wasn't Lucy's home at all. And eventually, she managed to put together the pieces.

This world she lived in, it was called Edolas. Magic here was different than it was on Earthland. Fairy Tail was an illegal guild, always on the run from the law. And every single person she knew on Earthland had a "counterpart," per se, here in Edolas.

The Edo-Lisanna made Lucy laugh. Always picking on Natsu, bickering with him, occasionally attacking him... Edo-Natsu himself was a cutie pie, but he was nothing like her Natsu. In some ways, yes, they were similar, and it was because of this that Lucy couldn't bear to see Edo-Natsu without feeling a sharp pang of loneliness in her heart.

The way he looked at her, though, when he first saw her - the expression on his face broke Lucy's heart completely.

He'd been beyond shocked.

And then he had begun to cry.

After she had realized that this wasn't her world, Lucy started to realize that everyone in _her_ world would think she was dead...

And that included her Natsu.

* * *

 _"C'mon, Lucy!"_

 _"Natsu, no - I don't want to get wet, these are new clothes - NATSU!"_

Tears tracked down Lucy's face as she watched the lacrima video. It was the only connection she had to her Earthland nakama: a collection of videos and pictures stored on a lacrima, taken over a period of years. Never once had Lucy let anyone in Edolas see it.

She had decided, a couple days after arriving in Edolas, that she would tell them who she really was. But the moment she gathered the courage, she saw their cheerful faces, still fresh with the excitement of having her back, and she couldn't do it.

She couldn't break their hearts like that again.

So here she sat, in her room in the portable guild hall (as she had jokingly nicknamed it), watching video after video and staring at picture after picture for what felt like hours.

It probably _was_ hours.

* * *

Eventually, days slipped into weeks, weeks into months, and before she knew it, an entire year had passed - and Lucy was still in Edolas.

The guild celebrated the anniversary of her "return," but after the small-scale celebration, Lucy couldn't face them any longer. Their faces were so familiar, yet they weren't the ones she knew...

It was on that day, the one-year anniversary of her stay in Edolas, that it really hit Lucy.

She was never going home.

* * *

Natsu never let go of his hope.

After Lucy died, he distanced himself from everyone except Happy. People tried to help him, but he made it clear that he didn't need their help. Fairy Tail was still his nakama, but he stopped relying on them emotionally as much as he once had. He only had two goals in his life now.

Find Igneel.

And find Lucy.

Whenever he made a remark about Lucy, people would bite back tears, they would shake their heads, and they would look away. Nobody told Natsu that his dream of "finding" his best friend was nothing but a wild goose chase.

After all, behind that bright smile of his, Natsu's heart was already broken enough.

* * *

"Natsu?"

The dragonslayer looked up at Happy, grinning. "What's up, buddy?"

"Do... do you _really_ think we're going to find Lucy again?" the little blue cat whispered.

Immediately, Natsu's smile died. His eyes darkened, and he fixed Happy with a gaze more threatening than the cat had ever seen.

"Of _course_ we are," he snarled. "Lucy's only lost, and we need to find her. We _will_ find her. _Don't you ever forget that."_

He turned away sharply, but not before Happy saw the tears in his eyes.

* * *

Anima.

The word gave Lucy a sense of hope. For two long years she'd been trapped here, in a world not her own, and she had begun to accept that fact that she would never see her family again; that the people she used to know would forever think her to be dead.

But then she heard it.

A few of the soldiers talking about it in hushed tones at the edge of a nearby city.

 _"Anima..."_

 _"Earthland. Fairy Tail..."_

 _"Need them for..."_

 _"Yes, just make sure..."_

 _"The anima..."_

Lucy almost dropped her keys in complete shock.

Tears began to form in her eyes. She had tried everything, for so long, to find out why she was here and how she could get home. She'd asked Crux (she occasionally summoned her spirits in secret) but he had no information on anything about Edolas.

Now, at last, she'd heard something. Earthland. Fairy Tail.

It was like a reminder that it was real, that her life in Earthland and her family had not been some dream.

And a new word, too - _anima._ Crux didn't know anything about that one, either, as Lucy soon found out, but it still filled Lucy with hope. It was like finding a piece to the puzzle.

She _could_ get out of here.

There _was_ a way.

She finally had reason to keep believing.

* * *

"Gray?"

 _"Oi!_ Mira? Erza? Gajeel?!"

"Gramps?"

 _"Anyone!"_

Natsu stared around at the wasteland that had been Magnolia only seconds earlier.

What was going on?

Where was the city? And Fairy Tail?

 _Where was his family?_

* * *

Lucy woke up on another day.

That was it. Just another day.

She tried to find that thrill of excitement she used to feel each morning, back on Earthland. She couldn't even really remember that feeling anymore. It was her routine now: wake up. Try to be excited about today.

Well, Natsu was taking her and Lisanna for a ride today... that could be fun.

Putting on a smile, Lucy sat up, stretched, and yawned.

She wished she didn't have to _try_ in order to be happy.

* * *

Fairy Tail.

There it was, right in front of him...

The one familiar thing in all of this chaos...

Natsu rushed up to the doors, threw them open, and then there they were. Everyone.

But it wasn't the majority of the guild that made Natsu's eyes widen in shock.

It was _her._

Natsu felt tears come into his eyes, and his hands began to tremble.

 _"Lucy?"_


	159. Facebook Insanity, PART SIX

**Welcome to a day of Facebook Insanity, my friends!**

 **Gray: Crap.**

 **Mira: YAY!**

 **Gray: You should have warned me. I'm not prepared for this.** ** _Crap._**

 **Day One Hundred Fifty-Nine**

 **Facebook Insanity, PART SIX**

Lucy was having a good day.

Lying there on her bed, wrapped up cozily in her blankets as she read through one of her old favorite books, it really couldn't get much better than this. She sighed contentedly and flipped another page.

It wasn't a particularly exciting book; rather, it was more of a slow-paced romance, but it was interesting enough, and the characters were sweet. Lucy let out another happy sigh and flipped a page.

It was one of those days when there doesn't seem to be anything that can go wrong. Lucy was content and happy in her home with her book, and she was sure that today would stay exactly what it was: just a good day.

Boy, was she wrong.

* * *

 **Mirajane Strauss: I'm boredddddddddd**

* * *

Lucy's face paled. "Oh no."

* * *

 **Comments:**

 **Cana Alberona: Lol so go do something**

 **Levy McGarden: Come hang at the guild! :D It's never boring here.**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO IS AFRAID**

 **Mirajane Strauss: Aaaawww, it's not like I'm gonna do anything ;)**

* * *

"I've heard that one before," Lucy muttered to herself. Taking a deep breath, she set down her phone and picked up her book.

"I will not check Facebook. I will not check Facebook. I will not check Facebook..."

* * *

 **Happy is a Cat: WHERE IS NATSUUUUUUUU I CAN'T FIND HIM**

 **Comments:**

 **Gray Fullbuster: He's probably off destroying some town.**

 **Gajeel Redfox, Sting Eucliffe, and 1293812039 others like this.**

 **Makarov Dreyar: NO NO NO I CAN JUST SEE THE STACK OF BILLS ALREADY! WHYYYYYYYYY**

 **Sting Eucliffe: Natsu's cool and all but he can be a bit careless sometimes...**

 **Gray Fullbuster, Gajeel Redfox, and 980938120934783 others like this.**

 **Gajeel Redfox: Gihihi. Stop worrying, Old Man. I found him and he's not destroying anything.**

 **Makarov Dreyar, Lucy Heartfilia, and 218 others like this.**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: OH THANK MAVIS. What IS he doing then?**

* * *

Okay, so she said she wouldn't check, but...

The dinging notification noises were so... enticing...

* * *

 **Gajeel Redfox: Standing in a tree in the middle of Magnolia and... well maybe he is destroying one thing.**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: Of course he is. -_- What is it this time?**

 **Gajeel Redfox: His friendship with you**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: ...I fear the implications of that statement.**

 **Gajeel Redfox: Gihihi, you should.**

 **Mirajane Strauss: ASDFGHJKJLKJSALFKJFDIEXASK GUYS YOU NEED TO COME SEE THIS! NATSU IS SINGING HIS UNDYING LOVE FOR LUCY IN THE MIDDLE OF MAGNOLIA!**

 **Gray Fullbuster, Levy McGarden, and 1394810923094738910298409384190348093284902384019375031984109248 others like this.**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: ...WHAT.**

 **Gray Fullbuster: Hehe**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: GRAY IF YOU ARE SOMEHOW INVOLVED IN THIS, SO HELP ME, I WILL _KILL YOU_**

 **Gray Fullbuster: Well Natsu's the one who went through with the dare...**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: _YOU DARED HIM TO DO IT?!_**

 **Gray Fullbuster: Maybe. Now excuse me for a moment, I need to pack my things and move to Antarctica.**

* * *

Lucy banged her head against a wall.

Today was only getting worse.

Then again, she should have expected it the moment she began hearing all the _dings_ from her phone notifying her of activity on Facebook...

Because, after all, that could _never_ be a good thing.

* * *

 **Mirajane Strauss: so since I'm bored, and opportunity for fun has arisen... I have a fun little magic device I've been wanting to try out! ^.^**

 **Comments:**

 **Lucy Heartfilia: If it's possible for me to be more scared than I was before... then I am.**

 **Mirajane Strauss: Aawwww, cmon, it'll be fuuuuuuunnn!**

* * *

About two seconds later, Lucy heard the unmistakable sound of Natsu singing _right in her ear._

"NATSU!" the blond shrieked, whipping around only to find that he wasn't behind her at all. In fact, he wasn't even singing right in her ear.

* * *

 **Mirajane Strauss: There! It worked! Can you all hear it now? ;)**

* * *

No, Natsu was still singing in a tree in the middle of Magnolia, except now, Mirajane's "little magic device" had magnified his voice so that the entire city could hear it, loud and clear.

"Mirajane Strauss," Lucy growled, with a tone so dark it would have sent shivers down anyone's spine, "I am going to _murder you."_

* * *

 **Lucy Heartfilia: Prepare to feel my wrath, Mira. You as well, Gray.**

 **Comments:**

 **Gray Fullbuster: *error-cannot-process-because-is-currently-hiding-in-Antarctica***

 **Mirajane Strauss: If you wanna take me on in Satan Soul, we're _on,_ Lucy. *evil grin* **

**Lucy Heartfilia: This Saturday at 10 AM sharp. Get ready to get crushed.**

* * *

Right, now that was taken care of.

Lucy set her phone down, straightened her belt, checked to make sure she had her whip and keys, and set off for the town center.

Time to go kill a certain pink-haired dragonslayer...

She'd better make it quick, or his puppy-dog eyes would get to her.

(Just like they had the last time.)

(And the time before that.)

 _(And_ the time before _that.)_

 _(AND_ the time befo... you know what? Forget it.)


	160. A Different Kind of Lonely

**Heya folks.**

 **So I hope you like this here thingie. It's lots of flangst and I think it's BEEEYOUTIFUL!**

 **Mira: *glares***

 ***grins hopefully* Well, nerdcandy likes my flangst at least... right?!**

 **Day One Hundred Sixty**

 **A Different Kind of Lonely**

Lucy was always lonely.

She didn't have friends. She didn't have a mother anymore, and her father could care less about her.

She had the spirits. Aquarius, Crux, Lyra... but wonderful as they were, they couldn't always spend time with her.

When they weren't around, she had no one.

And she was so lonely.

... ... ...

Natsu wasn't alone, but he was still lonely.

He had friends. He had his guild, Fairy Tail. He had Gramps. No, he was nowhere close to alone.

But he didn't have his father.

He didn't have Igneel, the most important figure in his life, and the only father he'd ever known up until a few months ago.

Natsu missed Igneel a lot, because without him, he felt lonely in the most crowded of rooms.

And being lonely _hurt._

... ... ...

When Lucy ran away from home, she thought she was leaving her lonely life behind. She thought she was going to set off on all kinds of wonderful adventures, make tons of new friends, maybe fall in love, and never be lonely again.

She actually ended up scraping together food money and hopping from city to city, trying desperately to find work. And except for her spirits, she was still completely alone.

... ... ...

Lisanna had been the one person to get close to Natsu.

They became best friends pretty quickly after they met, and when the sharp pain of losing Igneel began to dull a bit, he let her in. The two became closer than peas in a pod, and Natsu began to realize that his life could be more than just getting stronger and finding Igneel. He felt as though he had purpose, for the first time since his father had vanished.

But then Lisanna died.

And everything changed.

... ... ...

Eventually, Lucy ended up landing a pretty good job. It was a little local issue in a small town near Hargeon, but the mayor paid well, and Lucy couldn't have been more pleased when she'd finished.

"Killed a few monsters for thirty thousand jewel," she said happily to herself as she skipped through the streets of Hargeon. "Best job I've taken in a long while..."

Little did she know that she was about to meet the one person who would change her life forever.

... ... ...

He came to Hargeon chasing a rumor.

They were saying things about a "dragon" and "fire" and "Salamander." Besides himself, the only "Salamander" Natsu could think of was Igneel...

Of course he followed the rumor, just like he'd always followed every other whisper and call that might have the slightest connection to his father. He came to Hargeon with high outward hopes, trying so hard to ignore the sinking feeling in his chest that it was just another rumor.

That sinking feeling ended up being right.

But something else came out of his visit to Hargeon that day.

He got free food, for one thing.

And he met a girl unlike any other he'd known before.

... ... ...

Lucy knew right from the beginning that there was something different about Natsu; she should have expected that if anyone was a part of Fairy Tail, he would be.

Maybe the pink hair tipped her off, or the blue flying cat, or perhaps it was the scarf he wore even in the hot weather - but Lucy had a feeling it was more than that.

It was the tugging sensation in her gut that drew her to him.

It was the air about him, the way he moved, the way he spoke - everything about him was just so _different._

And Lucy loved it.

... ... ...

Natsu never took notice of girls - or people in general, really - unless they were in Fairy Tail, in which case they were just someone to beat and become stronger than.

Lucy was different.

It was as if he knew, from the moment he met her, that she would fit in just right in Fairy Tail. As if some invisible force had brought them together, bound them to each other, and wouldn't let them leave.

He was grateful for it, though.

Natsu was grateful for anything that led him to meet Lucy.

... ... ...

"Were you lonely a lot?"

The question came out suddenly, and it surprised her.

"Y'know, when... you were a kid. After your mom..."

Natsu struggled to find the words, and Lucy reached out, taking his hand and smiling slightly.

"Yeah," she said quietly.

They sat in silence for a few moments. Then,

"Me too."

Lucy was taken off guard by the comment, and she waited for an explanation.

"I mean," Natsu continued, "I had the guild, but... when Igneel disappeared... it was like I lost a part of myself, y'know? Everyone around me... they couldn't feel that gap, and I was still lonely."

Lucy gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"I know," she whispered.

And that was all either of them had to say. No, "I'm sorry" or "It'll be okay." Just the knowledge that they understood each other, and that they never had to be lonely anymore... That was enough.

And Lucy realized that they were the same in a lot of ways.

They'd both been lonely before - different kinds of lonely, but still lonely.

And now they both had each other, and they'd never be lonely again. Not as long as they were together.


	161. Pinky Promise

**Howdy!**

 **So I hope you've been enjoying these longer-than-usual chapters, and I really hope it makes up for not posting as much.**

 **I won't be able to post tomorrow or the next day either; I'll be traveling. But I'll still write my chapters! I promise!**

 **Please forgive me, guys - once the holidays are over, I'll be back on schedule, fo' REALZ. :D**

 **Gray: ...did you just say that?**

 **Wendy: I think she did.**

 **Day One Hundred Sixty-One**

 **Pinky Promise**

"Now, a pinky promise is a very sacred ritual," Natsu explained gravely. "A promise isn't a real promise unless you use your pinky."

Lucy giggled, and Natsu scowled.

"Luce! I'm serious!"

"Alright, alright," she said, holding back her laughter. She forced her expression into a deadpan stare. "Educate me, Master, I beg of thee."

"That's it," Natsu praised, grinning and flashing her a thumbs-up. "Now, back to our lesson..."

... ... ...

There is a very interesting story behind the above situation.

I should probably explain, because I know for a fact that you're at least a little confused.

When Lucy woke up that fateful morning, she was shocked and angry to discover that her fridge was empty, so she headed to the guild with a stinking suspicion of who the culprit was.

Upon her arrival, she immediately sought out Natsu and began chewing him out for raiding her fridge again.

Natsu was scandalized, as he was not, in fact, the one who had eaten all of Lucy's food - it turns out she'd really just forgotten to buy groceries the day before.

Lucy, upon realizing this, apologized profusely to her partner and promised never to blame him again without evidence...

And Natsu proceeded to hold out his pinky finger, informing her that a promise was never a real promise unless it was a pinky promise.

Now, back to the lesson, which I'm sure you're all interested to hear.

... ... ...

Correction. We can't get back to our lesson. Gray's interrupting.

"Wow," the ice mage said, bemused, upon seeing the scene before him. "Just... wow. That is all I have to say."

Natsu and Lucy's pinkies were locked together as they performed the sacred ritual and she promised that she wouldn't falsely accuse Natsu of eating all her food.

"Hey!" Natsu replied. "It's just a pinky promise!"

 _"Never_ mock the sanctity of the pinky promise," Lucy added seriously.

And Gray just continued to stare.


	162. Forever

**So...**

 **Oops?**

 **I um... didn't update... for four months?**

 **So there's probably no one reading this because I bet you all gave up checking for more updates. But hey. Here you go. One last chapter.**

 **i have kinda sorta lost my inspiration when it comes to NaLu. I think I wrote every idea there is. Orrrrrrr I am just being lazy... Yeah, that's probably it.**

 **Look, guys. Y'all are awesome. You are beautiful, wonderful, supportive readers and I could not ask for better friends than you. So THANK YOU SO MUCH! :3**

 **And I'm sorry for giving this up so soon. I've finished barely 1/10th of all 1095 days... But it was a fun challenge, and I got a lot out of it. We may have even possibly invented a new genre... FLANGST! Credit mostly to Nerdcandy for that one.**

 **So, yeah, so much for 1095 days. I guess I couldn't do it. I wasn't inspired enough and I wasn't dedicated enough and I was too busy all the time. But that doesn't mean someone else can't! There has got to be somebody out there reading this who really can write 1095 days of Fairy Tail or NaLu or another ship or ANYTHING!**

 **So if you think you can, go for it.** ** _Do_** **it. I believe in you. And let me know if you do, because I'd be super happy to read it.**

 **So here you are: one last chapter. Enjoy. Thanks for being so awesome, guys.**

 **Day One Hundred Sixty-Two**

 **Forever**

Lucy had never really thought about the word "forever" before.

It was just another word, just letters and sounds on a string. But it meant so much more than that. It was a promise, an unbreakable bond. Like telling someone "I love you" is a promise not to leave them. To stay and fight through the difficult times, even when it hurts, and even when you don't really want to.

Telling someone that you love them carries with it the promise of forever.

Lucy was determined not to forget that.

She felt Natsu's calloused hands on her shoulders as he leaned in to press his lips against hers. It was rough and hot and not at all like she had imagined it to be, but Lucy loved the feeling. She kissed back, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck.

They could have stayed like that for hours. Lucy wouldn't have minded.

Eventually, though, they were interrupted by the annoying human need for oxygen. They came back up gasping for air, and Natsu grinned at Lucy. They were both blushing.

"I love you, Luce," Natsu said, cupping her cheek in his palm.

Lucy reached up to touch his hand, smiling.

"I love you, too," she whispered.

 _Forever_.

The wind seemed to whisper the unspoken promise as they both leaned in for a second kiss.

.

 **Er, yeah. Promises. Forever. I'm bad at that.**

 **Well, I'm just glad I finally stopped being a coward and gave you guys this last chapter... And I might go ahead and change that title.**


	163. The Sky is Falling

**SHOOT.**

 **You guys are making me feel so GUILTY.**

 **Your reviews have been nothing but kind and nice and wonderful and thank you so much you're so amazing and AHHHHH TO HECK WITH IT!**

 **I AM NOT A QUITTER.**

 **Day One Hundred Sixty-Three**

 **The Sky is Falling**

Lucy was not having the best of days. Actually, this day in particular kind of... sucked.

It began when she woke up to find that Natsu had crashed on her couch for the night. There was dirt and grime everywhere, and the blond sighed when she thought about all she'd have to clean up later. And from the look of the lopsided sofa, Lucy was fairly certain he had broken it...

She groaned, running her hands through her hair. Could she _never_ catch a break?

"Of course not," Lucy muttered to herself, grabbing a sock and throwing it at Natsu, because, well, there was a sock there and Lucy felt like throwing something and socks were throw-able. "Of course I can't catch a break, because stupid Natsu only cares about himself..."

She picked up another sock and threw it, and this time it hit Happy right on the nose. Natsu could sleep through absolutely anything, but Happy woke with a start.

"AHHHHHH! NATSU! THE SKY IS FALLING! HEEEELLLLLLLLP!"

...and it all went downhill from there.

... ... ...

"Are you _sure_ the sky isn't falling?"

"Yes," Mirajane said, exasperated. She had been tolerant with the little blue cat at first, but soon enough her patience had worn thin as he asked the same question _over_ and _over_ and _over_.

"But are you _sure_?" Happy persisted, and rather than strangling him, Mira ignored him.

Happy spread his wings and flew over to the guild window, cautiously poking his head out. Well... the sky didn't _look_ like it was falling. He frowned, contemplating if he should just forget about it. Maybe it was nothing after all.

The moment he had been hit with a piece of the sky (though Lucy claimed it was her sock), Happy had known the truth: THE SKY WAS FALLING. Everything around them would soon be reduced to rubble underneath the remains of the sky! It would all be destroyed!

With that in mind, Happy had raced to the guild to spread the word.

This news _must_ be spread. He had to warn everyone! Happy nodded to himself. He was sure that the sky really was falling. Maybe it looked fine, but as Lucy had once said, you can't judge a book by its cover...

"I have to warn everyone," Happy said dramatically. "It's all up to me!"

... ... ...

Lucy gave up chasing Happy down the street; the flying cat was much too fast for her. Natsu had woken up to Happy's screeching about the sky falling and was walking along beside her... Well, Lucy supposed "walking" wasn't quite accurate. Natsu was dragging himself down the road, still half asleep.

"Lucy," the pink-haired boy whined. "Where'd Happy go? What's..." He yawned. "What's all that about the sky falling...?"

"It's nothing," Lucy grumbled. "Don't worry about it..."

Her day proceeded to get even worse as sirens blared through all of Magnolia.

Lucy shrieked and jumped, colliding with Natsu. They both tumbled backwards, rolling into the grass at the side of the road. Lucy covered her ears with her hands.

"What's going on?" Natsu yelled.

"I don't know!" Lucy yelled back.

It wasn't long, however, before they were enlightened. Happy's amplified voice echoed down every street in the city. "THE SKY IS FALLING! _RUN FOR YOUR LIVES, EVERYONE!_ "

Natsu leaped up, took one look at the sky, screamed, and began running around like a maniac.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried in frustration, but to no avail. Despite the fact that the sky was _perfectly intact,_ Natsu was already off the deep end, screaming about how they were all doomed.

"It's not even ten in the morning yet," Lucy groaned, dragging Natsu by the scarf back to the guild building. "I am going to _murder_ that cat."

 **... ... ...**

 **Today's dose of crack with a little bit of NaLu! That's right, friends. I'm not giving up. No way.**

 **I might miss some more days because of busy hectic life and I might fail and write tiny and insufficient chapters when they should but MUCH longer, but I am going to do my best and I CAN'T GIVE IT UP! Okay? I JUST CAN'T.**

 **Buckle up. You're in for a wild ride. I am NOT quitting, no way, absolutely not. I am a piece of trash because I let this fanfic collect dust for four months and it is NOT happening again. I will do my best to KEEP IT ALIVE.**

 **I'm gonna PICK UP WHERE I LEFT OFF and I'm gonna MAKE UP FOR SOME LOST TIME, BABY.**


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